Chapter 3

The car stopped at East Harbor. Through the window, I saw the silhouette of a skyscraper. This was a Costello family investment project, but it was not finished yet. At the moment, it was just a skeleton of steel beams and concrete.

Henson got out, and cold wind rushed in as he opened the back door. His eyes were ice-cold as he hissed, "Get out."

"Henson, where are you taking us?" I held Sofia tighter.

Suddenly, he reached in and yanked Sofia from my arms.

"No!" I lunged forward, but two bodyguards emerged from the shadows and pinned my shoulders down hard.

I could only watch helplessly as Henson carried Sofia toward that building with no safety measures in place.

"Henson! She's just a child!"

My voice echoed across the empty waterfront, but he did not even look back.

Sofia struggled in his arms, screaming, "Mommy! Mommy!"

The bodyguards dragged me along behind them. I fought the whole way, my nails raking bloody scratches across their arms, but they did not even flinch.

There were no lights inside the building, only the beams of flashlights cutting through the darkness. Soon, we got into a construction elevator, and the metal door closed with a jarring screech.

The elevator rose to the top floor, where wind blasted in from all directions. There was only the steel and concrete framework, scaffolding suspended hundreds of feet in the air, swaying in the wind.

The river below sparkled with reflected light. From this height, a fall would mean certain death.

Henson carried Sofia toward the edge of the building, and I held my breath. There was a makeshift construction lift there. It was just a few rusted metal plates and steel cables, dangling in midair.

"No..." My voice came out completely hoarse.

He placed Sofia in the lift, her tiny body swaying in the wind.

"Mommy..." She reached out, her eyes full of terror.

I desperately tried to rush forward. However, the bodyguards blocked me and forced me to the ground, my knees hitting the icy concrete.

Henson stood by the lift, his hand gripping the emergency brake lever. His voice was eerily calm as he asked, "Where's Angelina?"

"What?" I looked up, not understanding what he was talking about.

He stated coldly, "Don't play dumb, Aurelia. You sent people to kidnap her. Hand her over now."

"I didn't!" I practically roared. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Liar."

He released the brake lever slightly. The lift plunged, and the steel cables screeched horribly as Sofia's screams tore through the night.

"Mommy!"

The lift stopped about 30 feet down, swaying in the wind.

"I'll talk! I'll talk!" I fell to my knees. "Please, just let her go..."

"Then talk." Henson looked down at me from above.

Moonlight shone on his face, and for a moment, I could not recognize him. Just moments ago, he had been apologizing for leaving us at the camp.

At this moment? No matter how much I begged, he would not relent.

My voice trembled. "I really don't know where Angelina is... Henson, I swear, I don't know anything..."

Sofia's cries grew weaker and more desperate. I crawled toward him, grabbing onto his pant leg.

"Henson, please just investigate first. Don't take it out on Sofia..." Tears blurred my vision. All my pride and dignity were crushed into the ground.

"You think I'd believe you?" He grabbed me, pain flashing in his eyes. I was thrown down, my lips smashing against the concrete.

His voice filled with rage. "Is she even my daughter? Why would you hurt my real child for this mongrel?"

"I didn't!" He completely ignored my explanation, his fingers moving again as the lift dropped once more.

Sofia had stopped crying, passing out from fear. I trembled all over, standing up and staggering toward the edge of the scaffolding.

No matter what, I had to get to Sofia.

"Aurelia! What are you doing?" Henson shouted, his voice changing.

I stepped onto the scaffolding, the rusted metal creaking beneath my feet. I had to climb down to the lift; I just needed to hold Sofia.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed me hard and yanked me back. I hit the ground hard as Henson pinned me down, his arms locked tight around me.

A flash of panic crossed his eyes. "Are you insane? Do you have a death wish?!"

I fought desperately. "Let go! I want to save Sofia!"

"For that mongrel..." He suddenly released me, his voice turning ice-cold. "You really would do anything... So why did you marry me? Why did you act as if you loved me so much?!"

"She is your daughter!" I sobbed.

He yelled, "She's not! She's proof of your betrayal!"

Then, he walked back to the lift, wind whipping through his hair. He looked like a madman.

His voice was carried off by the wind. "Listen, Aurelia. I'm not letting that brat go. You'd better tell me where Angelina is right now."

He paused, looking at the lift suspended in midair, Sofia lying motionless inside.

"Otherwise... I will make her pay with her life."