Chapter 3

Olivia froze for a moment, then tears spilled down her cheeks.

Holding her face, she threw herself into Simon's arms and began to sob like a helpless, wounded kitten, pitiful enough to stir anyone's heart.

Simon pulled her close and then shot me a venomous glare. "Madison, have you lost your damn mind? Get the hell out of here now, or I'll call security."

The dog that had been resting on the balcony suddenly sprang to its feet and came charging at me with a fierce bark.

Olivia, her eyes reddened, quickly crouched down and gently held the dog's leg. "Easy, baby. Mind your leg. I'm okay. Simon will look after me."

Blood started seeping through the bandage on the dog's leg, and a painful whimper soon followed.

Trembling with fear, Olivia let her tears fall like thick raindrops onto the floor. "Don't be scared, sweetheart. I'm taking you to the vet right now."

But she was too weak to lift the dog properly, and before she could manage it, she fell to the floor herself.

Simon's eyes filled with concern at the sight of her swollen, bruised forehead. He quickly helped her to her feet.

"Simon, please take Rocky to the hospital. I'm so afraid he might lose that leg," she urged anxiously.

Without a word, Simon picked up the dog and walked out with Olivia by his side.

I dashed out after them and grabbed hold of the car door with all my strength, sobbing uncontrollably. "Simon, Daisy needs you to save her. Please, just come with me!

"She's your little girl, your own daughter."

Olivia had clearly had enough. "Madison, we don't have time for one of your performances right now," she shot back. "Another minute and Rocky might lose his leg. Can you show a little compassion for an animal?

"We'll go to the hospital, and I swear I'll come back and apologize to you in person. Alright?"

Simon's patience had already worn thin. With a deep frown, he said coldly, "I'll take Daisy to the aquarium when I'm home. I'll make it up to her. Now step aside."

I still gripped the door, desperately hoping for another chance.

But Olivia slammed it shut, crushing my fingers until they were bloody and raw.

The car pulled away fast.

Ignoring the pain shooting through my hands, I jumped into my own car and chased after them.

Blood smeared across the steering wheel as I drove, one hand frantically dialing Simon over and over again.

But his phone stayed off.

I pushed the car faster.

Then a truck hit me. My car rolled over, and the twisted door nearly impaled me through the chest.

Still, I barely felt a thing. I just kept running as hard as I could, with only one thought driving me forward: I had to save my daughter.

My phone rang. It was Joseph.

I think I already knew what he was going to say before he even opened his mouth. The world seemed to tilt and spin around me, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Lane," he finally said. "We did everything we could, but we couldn't disable the bomb in time. Your daughter..."

Everything went red. I stared in the direction Simon had driven off, my fists clenching so tightly that my nails drew blood from my palms.

By the time I made it to the scene of the explosion, Joseph and his team were already sweeping through the wreckage.

My daughter was gone. There wasn't even a body to bury, nothing left of her at all.

All I could do was gather up the torn piece of her skirt that had somehow survived, holding it against my chest as I screamed until my voice gave out and my consciousness slipped away, over and over again.

I would never get to hold her again.