Chapter 2

I forced myself to stand straight before opening an address on my phone.

A few months ago, Fraser and I both came down with high fevers during a terrible storm.

Sebastian's car happened to be at the shop for maintenance, so I asked him to drive us to the hospital in my car.

He simply rolled over in bed and said, "The rain is too heavy. It's not safe to drive."

With no other choice, I drove us myself.

But just as I was leaving our neighborhood, Sebastian suddenly came running over and told us to get out of the car. "There's thunder. Nancy gets scared during storms, so I need to stay with her."

I held Fraser in one arm and a shaking umbrella in the other.

My voice was already hoarse when I asked him, "So are we supposed to just stay here and wait?"

Sebastian had only half-closed the car door when he looked at Fraser, who was already delirious from his fever, and at my bright red face.

For a moment, he seemed to feel sorry for us.

But his phone rang the next second.

When he saw Nancy's name on the screen, he shut the car door without hesitation. "Take Fraser home and get some sleep. I'll come pick you up tomorrow."

Maybe, in Sebastian's heart, Fraser and I had never mattered as much as Nancy.

"This is Nancy's address," I said. "If we go as fast as we can, it'll only take six minutes to get there."

Daphne nodded. "Okay. I'll have the officers nearby bring him here immediately!"

Helen pressed a hand against her chest. "So we're just supposed to stand here and wait?"

I looked up at the top floor.

Every window had been sealed shut with concrete, so there was no way to see what was happening inside.

"Tell the kidnappers I'll go up there and take Fraser's place."

The negotiator had barely finished speaking when the kidnapper replied coldly, "Mrs. Robertson, I don't want to waste time trading you for him. You have eight minutes left."

I looked at Fraser, whose head hung weakly from exhaustion. Then I dug my fingernails hard into my arm.

Suddenly, Daphne cried out. "What?"

I hurried over.

One of the officers was speaking. "Captain, the neighbors said the woman who lived in this house moved out last week. A man helped her move. He said the house was too small, so he was going to move her into a mansion instead."

I froze in shock.

It was only after the storm that I found out Nancy had been living in our home.

That was the house Sebastian had poured his heart into renovating after putting all his other work on hold.

He had taken the little doodles I used to draw in my spare time and put them on the elevator doors.

He had filled the cabinet with the tea I always drank.

Every color in the house was one of my favorites. Even the sheer curtains had to have the flower pattern I loved.

Everyone said Sebastian loved me deeply.

I had once imagined us starting a family in that house.

But after we got married, he suddenly said the air near the beach was too damp and the house was too far from his office. He refused to move in.

I was busy with work, so I eventually stopped thinking about it.

I never imagined that he had already let Nancy move in and enjoy everything he had so carefully prepared for me.

And now he even thought the house was too small for her. He was taking her to a mansion instead.

I didn't have time to think about it. I lowered my head and called Sebastian.

It took seven calls before he finally answered, clearly annoyed. "What is it now? The police just got to Nancy's place."

I took small, shaky breaths and almost begged him, "Where are you? Since the police are there, you need to hurry and..."

"No. That officer is too young." He cut me off immediately.

For a moment, I didn't understand. "What did you say?"

Sebastian didn't answer.

Instead, I heard Nancy's voice in the background. "Sebastian, I don't want to let that young officer into the house. They're too careless. What if they damage something? I already called another officer I know. He's much more experienced. He's the only one I trust."

Sebastian agreed without hesitation, "All right. Then we'll wait a little longer."

I went completely still.

On the tablet, Fraser's lips had already started turning pale from being tied up for so long.

I gripped my phone and couldn't stop myself from shouting. "Sebastian, the bomb is going to explode in six minutes! And you're still saying you'll wait with her? Fraser is your own son! Does his life really mean that little to you?"

Sebastian instinctively started to speak.

But Nancy stopped him. "Just talk to Fiona calmly. She's only this upset because she's worried about Fraser."