When summer came, Lily, who was eight years old, needed to go to camp. Ethan didn’t bother with it, so I drove her there myself.
But on my way back, I got a call from kidnappers:
“Your daughter is with us. If you know what’s good for you, come get her. Otherwise, she’ll die young.”
“Mommy, save me! I don’t want this, I’m so scared!”
Her voice broke my heart. I wasn’t even home yet and frantically tried calling Ethan, but his phone was off. I even called his mother repeatedly, but no one answered. I had no choice but to go rescue Lily myself.
When I saw the gang leader and his men, I froze. Over a dozen men surrounded Lily, who was crying her heart out, tears streaming like a waterfall.
“Mommy, you finally came! I was so scared.”
“Let her go, or I’ll call the police!”
I threatened them, but they didn’t move.
“Lady, turn around.”
I looked back to see the path I came from blocked, the underground garage doors locked, people closing in. We were trapped.
“Lily!! Are you okay?”
Suddenly Lily broke free and ran into my arms. I held her tightly.
“It’s okay now, Lily. Mommy’s here.”
The men laughed. “No, lady. It won’t be okay. Since you came, things just got worse.”
A man who looked like the leader walked over with a sinister grin.
“Let us go! I already called the police. They’re on their way!”
“Heh, in this line of work, do you think I’m afraid of that?”
One of his men kicked me, knocking my phone away. I fell hard onto the ground. Lily sobbed, begging them not to hurt me, but they ignored her.
Soon the mob surged forward. They punched and kicked me until I passed out.
When I woke again, I thought I was in heaven. The smell of antiseptic filled the air, and the ceiling was white as snow. I pinched myself.
“Am I… in a hospital?”
I looked at my legs in disbelief. They were broken, hanging in casts.
“I… I didn’t die? I’m in a hospital? But where’s Lily?”
Panicked, I looked around, but everything was quiet. Midnight.
Then I heard whispers from the next room:
“Daddy, just because Mommy didn’t give Aunt Sarah the parking spot and caused her death, you’re getting revenge? You made me pretend to be kidnapped, then lured Mommy here so she’d get her leg broken, and now she’ll walk with a limp forever?”
“What about Mommy’s daily life?”
Ethan’s voice was cold: