Chapter 1

My screams echoed down the empty hospital corridor and drew startled looks from everyone nearby.

I did not care. I stared desperately at my phone. I was terrified that Liam might do something drastic.

“Hahaha! Dave, have you been watching so many soap operas that you’ve lost your mind?”

Liam laughed so hard that there were tears in his eyes.

He leaned into the camera. His face that was twisted with hatred filled the entire screen.

“To save this little fool, you’d even humiliate yourself by claiming that your wife cheated on you? Do you take me for a three-year-old?”

“I’m not lying! Just think about the timing…”

“Shut up!” Liam cut me off viciously. He grabbed Teddy by his thin collar and hauled him off his feet.

“Look at him! In what way does he resemble me? He’s the runt you and that harlot Jennifer had behind my back!”

Teddy whimpered in pain.

He wore nothing but a thin thermal shirt. Beneath him was an abandoned steel tank filled with filthy water.

The bitter early-winter wind swept through the warehouse. His lips had turned blue. His face was deathly pale.

“Daddy, help me! It’s so cold.”

His faint cries broke my heart.

“Liam! If you want revenge, take it out on me! Let him down first. He has a congenital heart condition. His heart can’t handle the shock or the cold!”

I raced out of the hospital and hailed a cab.

“Take me to the abandoned industrial park on the west side! Hurry! I’ll pay for any tickets, just get me there!”

“A heart condition?” Liam sneered when he heard me and released his grip. “Serves him right! Even God is disgusted by what you two did. This is your punishment!”

With a splash, Teddy plunged into the freezing water.

The filthy water rose above his chest. He had never learned to swim. In his panic, he could not find his footing.

He thrashed desperately and choked on mouthful after mouthful of water. The sight of him struggling tore me apart.

“Is your heart breaking?” Liam walked over to the tank and looked down at Teddy. His eyes were gleaming with vindictive satisfaction.

“Dave, when I went bankrupt, my creditors hunted me down like a dog until I had to flee the country. What did you do, then?

“You were supposed to be my best friend, but instead of helping me, you took advantage of my absence and slept with the woman I loved!”

“You have no idea what really happened back then!” I was trembling with rage.

“Just get him out of the water! I’ll explain everything to you in person!”

“Save it!”

Liam swung the metal pipe down hard against the edge of the tank. It sent chips of concrete flying.

Teddy had only just managed to regain his footing when a piece grazed his face. A thin red scratch appeared on his cheek.

“Dave, I want you to call Jennifer right now. Tell her you’re divorcing her and throwing her out with nothing! Otherwise, I’ll leave this little runt in the freezing water until he dies!”

I did not obey him immediately.

At that hour, Jennifer Molson was driving home from the highway.

If I told her Teddy had been kidnapped, I was afraid she might panic and get into an accident on the road.

As I looked at Liam on the screen, a surge of anger rose inside me.

He had no idea what had really happened back then.