Chapter 4 The Kidnapping

As for the complete stranger, they left without even leaving their contact information after delivering the emergency allergy relief medication.

How ironic!

Once I got home, I summoned the housekeeper over and asked, "Who has come to visit recently?"

She hemmed and hawed for quite a while before finally voicing her doubts, saying, "Mrs. Clark, only Ms. Lopez came."

Then, she hesitantly handed me an opened sachet of hazelnut powder and added, "I found this next to Miss Emmy's baby food jar."

I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine as a thought crossed my mind.

'Emmy has always been allergic to hazelnuts. Does William know Sophia wants to kill Emmy?' I thought. 'Even if he knew, would he stand up for her?'

I held Emmy tightly. At this moment, the empty villa was just as terrifying as a man-eating monster to me.

Fortunately, I would soon be able to lead a new life with Emmy.

When William returned from his "business trip," he immediately launched into a tirade. "Heather, you're being completely unreasonable right now!"

He glanced at the sleeping Emmy. His brows furrowed even more as he said, "Emmy is perfectly fine. How could you make up such lies? You really let me—"

"Let's get a divorce," I interrupted William, my voice as cold as ice.

He froze upon hearing my words. He grabbed my arm tightly and growled, "You're threatening me with divorce just because I'd criticized you?!"

I was about to expose the fact that we weren't married, but what he said next left me speechless.

"I get it. You're jealous of Sophia, aren't you?" William expressed presumptuously. "Why do you like to compare yourself to her? It's already so hard for her to raise a son alone. Can't you be a little kinder?"

His phone suddenly rang just as I was about to deliver my retort. He hurriedly left after demanding that I stay home and reflecting on my actions for the next few days.

The moment the door closed, my taut nerves snapped.

Tears streamed down my face, and the bitter taste of disappointment lingering in my mouth made the stabbing pain in my chest all the more agonizing.

Just then, my phone screen lit up. It was a notification that the equity transfer payment had been received.

I hastily wiped away my tears and breathed a sigh of relief, for I could finally take Emmy away from this mess tomorrow.

I got into a cab with Emmy in my arms at first light.

Just as I relaxed, a pungent ether smell suddenly filled my nostrils, and I lost consciousness the next second.

…

When I opened my eyes again, I realized that I was locked in an iron cage in an abandoned warehouse.

Emmy was still asleep next to me.

Meanwhile, Sophia and Ethan were inside the iron cage across from mine. She was trembling as she held her son. As for Ethan, he was crying so hard that his face was covered in tears and snot.

The warehouse door was pulled open. As soon as William rushed in, his gaze darted intensely between the two iron cages.

"Your family sure is complete," said the leader of the group of kidnappers as he played with a dagger. He scraped the tip against the iron cage with a piercing sound as he added, "I'll give you a chance. Pick a cage."

William's Adam's apple bobbed twice when he saw Emmy, who was quiet and well-behaved in my arms. Then, he turned to Sophia's side. Ethan was crying and shouting, "Daddy, save me."

"Go on! Choose!" The kidnapper pressed the dagger against Emmy's cheek. The cold metal instantly woke her up, and she burst into tears.

"Don't touch her!" William roared as he lunged forward. However, he was held down by the other kidnappers.

His gaze seemed to be torn in two, with one half fixed on Emmy and me, and the other half stuck on Sophia and Ethan.

"William, save Ethan! He's your only son!" Sophia suddenly screamed, her voice trembling uncontrollably.

Time ticked by so slowly that every breath I took felt like it was made under frozen syrup.

William's fingernails dug deeply into his palm, and beads of blood dripped down between his fingers.