Chapter 4

A month ago, the kidnappers called Lucas and demanded seventeen million dollars for my life. Julia had been standing right next to him. Covering her mouth, she gasped, "Dad, is Stella pulling another stunt? She was just talking yesterday about buying a ten-million-dollar necklace."

After hearing that, Lucas cursed into the phone, "Let that ungrateful brat die out there! Not one cent!" Then the call was hung up.

The kidnappers flew into a rage and shoved my head into a barrel full of filthy water.

The memory twisted through my nerves like a knife. I took a deep breath and…