Chapter 3
Mom sounded nervous. "One million dollars, one million dollars... Fine. Douglas, Douglas, please, I'm begging you."
Douglas's voice was softer than Dad's, but it still sent a chill down my spine.
He said, "Begging? I begged you to be with me once, too. Does Dad Lawson look like he's short on cash?
"Playing games again, just so the Lawson Group can snatch up the Savage Group? Look back, Emily. You were never worthy of my love."
With that, Douglas hung up again.
Mom was like a flower in the garden, shattered by the wind, completely lifeless.
I didn't know why I was so overwhelmed with sadness. It was even worse than when the neighbor's kid, David, started hating me.
Mom looked like all the strength had drained out of her.
Wilmot walked up to Mom, gripping a stick.
"Mom," I called out, panic rising in my voice.
Mom's eyes met mine, and her hands, trapped in the iron cuffs, started to struggle.
She pleaded, "I have a lot of jewelry. You know I'm from the Daniel family. We have money.
"I can go back and sell my jewelry to get you the money. Just let Christine go. Please, send her home, okay? She's just a little kid. She could die out there."
Wilmot let out a cold laugh. "Why should we care? Letting you go back would be like digging our own graves."
"Time's up." With that, Wilmot brought the stick crashing down on Mom with brutal force.
This time, Mom didn't cry, but I could tell it must have been agony for her.
She didn't even cry out in pain. She just urged me to run, fast.
The stick was quickly slick with blood. Mom slumped out of the chair.
I rushed over, desperate to protect her. Blood and hair tangled together on her face.
Without a second thought, I threw myself at her. I held Mom tight.
"You're all bad people," I screamed. My wailing filled the whole empty building.
The thugs huddled together, whispering to each other.
"Guess he's really not showing up."
"Who'd have thought the richest guy in Rawson City could be so cold and cheap. He doesn't even give a damn about his own kid."
"Just got a call. They said we've stalled long enough. Any later and we won't make it out. Let's take care of it right here."
"Before we deal with them, how about we enjoy ourselves a bit first?"
Their laughter sounded just like monsters from TV, only way scarier.
Mom's eyes were smeared with blood, and she kept shaking her head over and over, urging me to run.
Screaming and sobbing, I held her tight and refused to let go, "Mom."
Wilmot picked me up off the ground. "You're way too loud."
I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck, and as Mom screamed, everything went black.
When I woke up again, blood was everywhere, spreading across the floor.
Mom was lying on the ground. Her face was ashen and dirty, and her clothes were all disheveled.
I went over and patted her, desperate for any sign she was still there. "Mom, Mom."
I kept calling her name over and over, but she didn't even move.
'Is it because I'm asleep? Is that why Mom isn't paying attention to me? But why is there so much blood everywhere?'
"Mom," I called out again, my voice trembling.
Dawn was breaking, and the world outside was slowly coming back to life.