Chapter 2

Mom threw herself in front of me to shield me. The knife slashed her back, leaving a huge gash with blood pouring out.

Mom clung desperately to the thug's leg. "Please, just give me one more chance. I swear I'll get the 15 million dollars."

The thug kicked Mom aside. "I'll give you one more chance," he said.

He dialed Dad's number. "Mr. Langley, I've got your wife and kid right here. We don't want much, just..."

"Just kill them," Dad barked.

I had no idea what "kill them" meant. All I saw was Mom's face turning as pale as a sheet after the call was hung up.

Jesse was so furious he looked like he was about to smash his phone, but Mom quickly stopped him.

"My dad's the boss of Ford Group. He's loaded," she said.

Grandpa really was rich. His house was just as big as Dad's. But every time Mom took me to Grandpa's place, we always ended up stuck in a tiny storage room.

The phone rang seven times before someone finally picked up.

Mom's face finally regained a little color.

"Your dad's not here. What do you want?" Rachel Gibbs asked.

Mom hesitated for a second, but still spoke up. "Rachel, could you ask Dad to lend me 15 million dollars? I'll pay it back in a couple of days," she said.

I never had a grandma on Mom's side.

Rachel was Grandpa's new wife.

She didn't like Mom, and Mom only let me call her Grandma Rachel.

Rachel sneered, "You've got some nerve, asking for 15 million dollars out of the blue. Do you think our money grows on trees?"

"When Ford Group was in trouble and your dad begged you for help, how come you didn't cough up 15 million to bail him out?

"You've been donating your blood to Adam's sister for seven years, and he still won't even give you 15 million dollars?"

Tears welled up in Mom's eyes, her voice raw with desperation as she begged, "Rachel, I know you can't stand me, but Esme and I have been kidnapped. She's just a kid. Please, get Dad to save her."

Rachel scoffed. "Nancy, don't take me for a fool. You're Mrs. Langley, and Esme's Miss Langley. Like anyone would dare kidnap you two.

"I'm not lending you that kind of money. Who knows if you'll ever pay it back? Your dad's too soft, so I'll blacklist your number."

With that, Rachel hung up.

Mom's hands shook as she tried to call back, but all she got was a busy tone.

Her face went even paler.

The kidnappers were getting fed up, itching to rough us up.

Mom dropped to her knees, begging them to let her make one last call.

I watched as Mom called Jesse.

Mom always said Jesse was a close friend of hers and Dad's.

However, as far as I could remember, Dad never really had anything to do with Jesse. It was always just Mom who'd take me out to eat with Jesse sometimes.

But every time after dinner with Jesse, Mom and Dad would end up fighting.

"You took that bastard to see her real father again, Nancy. Do I even matter to you?" Dad yelled, clamping his hand around Mom's throat, choking her.

Mom couldn't breathe, her face flushed red as she shook her head desperately, trying to explain. "I've told you a million times, he's your friend too. How long are you going to keep accusing me?"

Dad's face twisted into a creepy grin. "Then why did Sarah die? Why did you disappear? And why did you come back pregnant with that bastard?"

Tears streamed down Mom's face as she desperately tried to cover Dad's mouth. "Esme is your child. Don't say this in front of her. It'll break her heart."

Dad pushed her hands aside and dragged her into the room, not caring about her frantic resistance.

He locked the door, and I pressed my ear against it, just able to make out Mom's painful moans.

When Dad finally came out, five episodes of Peppa Pig had already been played.

He didn't even look at me as he walked straight out the door.

Mom lay collapsed on the bed, her body battered and bruised all over.

She beckoned me closer, wrapped me in her arms, and kept whispering 'I'm sorry' over and over.

I sobbed uncontrollably in the stench-filled room as Mom tried to comfort me.

When no one picked up her calls, beads of sweat broke out across Mom's forehead.

She kept dialing, refusing to quit, but it was nothing but silence on the other end.

The kidnappers started barking at her to hurry up.

Mom took advantage of their distraction and nervously dialed 911.

The call was answered. "Hello?"

But in the very next second, a thug sent the phone flying with a swift kick.

Mom barely had time to say a word before the thugs realized what she was doing.

They grabbed wooden bats from by the door and advanced on Mom menacingly.

I buried myself in Mom's arms, trembling with fear.

Mom saw them getting closer and yanked me behind her, putting herself between me and them.

She shook her head frantically, shouting, "No, please. I don't have 15 million dollars now, but I've got shares in Ford Group and Langley Group. Just let me and Esme go. I'll sell them and get you the money.

"I swear I won't call the cops. I've got tons of jewelry and designer bags at home. I'll sell them all. 15 million? No, I'll give you 20 million."