I went to the dazed Natalie,crouched down and grabbed her by the hair,forcing her chin up.
“Natalie,”I called,looking straight into her terrified eyes,“you said my daughter would suffer in the mountains.Is that true?”
She trembled,eyes darting away.“I…I was only saying things…I don’t know anything…”
“Only saying things?”I tightened my grip until her scalp burned.“Then tell me,what mountain?What village?Who bought her?Tell me now!”
“Ah!It hurts!”she wailed,tears and snot streaking her face.“Ethan!Ethan,help me!”
“Jenna,let her go!”Ethan shouted hoarsely from the side.“How dare you!Come get me.Don’t attack a woman!”
I turned to him,calm and wild at once.His voice died in an instant.“Ethan,don’t rush.You won’t get away.”
Slow and cold,I said,“You’d better pray not a single hair on my daughter’s head is harmed.Or else…”
I left the rest unsaid,yet the chill in my voice froze the room.
Then,I let go of Natalie,stood up and told the nearest bodyguard,“Come with me.Drive.”
“Yes,miss.”
I glanced at Ethan’s pale face and at Natalie,who was still shaking,then walked out of that filthy place.
Outside,I pulled out my phone.Over a dozen missed calls and several messages filled the screen.It was all from my father and the special team.
The latest message read,[Miss,target vehicle located on the national highway toward the neighboring province’s mountains.Rescue team in pursuit.Please provide further instructions.]
I typed back,[Capture them alive.I’ll be there immediately.]
After replying,I put the phone in my pocket as I climbed into the car.
Ethan Lorrimer,Natalie Adams,your reckoning has come.
The car sped out of the city into the night.
I gripped my phone so hard my knuckles ached,watching the red dot crawl along the map.The interception team was streaming the real-time location of the shabby van carrying my daughter.
My heart hammered like it would burst.Every breath stabbed my chest.I kept praying in silence.Emma…please hold on.Mommy’s coming…
The driver kept his face set and pushed the car to the limit.Just as the dot showed we were closing in,a black SUV shot out from a fork in the road and cut across our lane.We had to brake hard.
I wasn’t ready and slammed forward into the seat.
“What’s happening?”I gasped,still terrified.
The driver’s eyes went cold as he stared at the SUV and said sternly,"Miss,that is Ethan’s car."
I was stunned,speechless.
Ethan?Here?