Chapter 4 — This is an emergency.

Chapter 4 — This is an emergency.

Kate broke down in the silent room, she just couldn't hold it in anymore.

Her hands pressed against her mouth as tears rushed freely down her cheeks, her shoulders shaking with everything she had held in for years.

This wasn’t the marriage she had hoped for. All she had ever wanted was simple—to be seen, to be loved for who she was, not tolerated, not blamed, not despised.

She didn’t want Mason’s money.

She never did.

If he had nothing—no name, no wealth, no mansion—she would still have loved him just the same. That truth hurt the most. Loving someone who would never love her back the way she loved him.

People say opposites attract but that was far from the truth with her and mason.

she was madly in love with him and he hates her like she was the devil, but ironically he loved Elena so much. A child she bore. His everything calmed from her.

Kate pressed her palms against her chest, trying to breathe . Every choice she had made replayed itself in her head, one after another. She had stayed because she loved him. Stayed because she believed endurance would one day be rewarded. Stayed because leaving felt like admitting defeat.

A small voice broke through her thoughts.

“Mummy?”

Kate startled, started wiping her face quickly.

Elena stood in the doorway, her tiny brows pulled together in concern. Kate forced a smile so quickly it hurt.

“Oh,” she said softly, cleaning her cheeks. “Something just entered my eyes honey.”

Elena studied her face carefully, as if she didn’t quite believe the excuse. Children always saw more than adults gave them credit for. Kate pulled her closer, breathing in her scent, holding her just a second longer than necessary—long enough to pretend everything was still normal.

Her little hands reaching up to touch Kate’s face. The moment Kate looked at her properly, her heart twisted.

How could she leave?

How could she take Elena away from a father who loved her more than anything else in the world?

Kate pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing her forehead again and again. “Go play in your room for a bit, okay?” she said gently. “When I’m done here, it’ll be time for you to sleep.”

Elena nodded obediently and ran off upstairs.

Kate watched her go, but fresh tears started spilling all over again.

I can’t leave, she realized painfully.

Not like this. Not if it hurts her. I can't leave I would never be able to give her this kind of life.

Maybe she was selfish. Maybe everything had been a mistake. maybe she did trapped him unintentionally.But Elena deserved both her parents—especially a father who adored her, a father who would do anything for her.

Kate sank back onto the couch, her crying returning quietly, her head aching with questions she had no answers to.

Mason might have been a terrible husband to her but he was the best dad Elena would ever have.

Upstairs, Elena had different thoughts.

She climbed onto Mason’s bed, remembering the angry voices from earlier. In her small mind, everything made sense in a simple, childish way.

Mummy is crying because Daddy didn’t give her what was in the safe.

Elena camed down the bed and walked toward the large safe built into the wall. It looked fascinating—big, shiny, important. She reached up and began pressing buttons, giggling as the numbers beeped softly beneath her fingers.

Wrong numbers.

She liked the beeping sounds the buttons made. They reminded her of Daddy’s phone. She laughed softly to herself, pressing more numbers, imagining she was helping Mummy.

More numbers.

Suddenly

Click.

The door opened.

Elena’s eyes widened when the door opened, her excitement grew.

Inside were huge stacks of money, shiny objects, papers she didn’t understand. Her giggle grew louder as she reached inside, stretching as far as she could.

Then she leaned in further. The shiny things inside felt magical. She leaned in, stretching farther than her small body should have

Too far.

Her foot slipped.

Before she could scream.her small body fell forward into the safe, and the heavy door swung shut with a dull, final sound.

Elena froze.

She pushed. Nothing.

“Mummy?” she called, her voice trembling with fear.

Panic surged.

She banged on the door, screaming now. “Mummy! Help me!”

Downstairs, Kate froze.

Her heart jumped violently into her throat.

“Elena?” she shouted, already running.

She searched the living room. Elena's room. The kitchen. The stairs.

“Elena!”

The screams led her to Mason’s room.

Kate burst inside—and stopped.

The open space where Elena should have been… the closed safe.

Her blood ran cold.

“No,” she whispered, rushing forward. “No, no, no… noooooo”

“Elena!” she cried, pounding on the door. “Baby, talk to me!”

“I’m here!” Elena sobbed from inside. “Mummy, I’m scared!”

Kate dropped to her knees, her hands shaking uncontrollably. “ how did you get in there, Sweetheart, do you remember what numbers you pressed?”

“I—I don’t know,” Elena cried. “I just pressed them!”

Kate began entering numbers wildly. Birthdays. Dates. Anything.

Nothing worked.

Her breathing turned frantic. She scrambled for her phone and called Mason.

Once.

Twice.

Again.

No answer.

She texted him. Elena is stuck in the safe. Please call me.

No reply.

Tears streamed down her face now terror consuming her completely.

Kate’s fingers slipped on the phone screen as she tried calling Mason again. Her thoughts tangled into chaos—Why isn’t he answering? Where could he be? What was he doing? Why today of all days?.

She had never felt so helpless in her life.

“I’m here, baby,” she sobbed. “Mummy is here.”

With trembling fingers, Kate dialed emergency services.

“This is an emergency,” she cried the moment someone answered. “My daughter—she’s trapped in a safe. Please—please hurry.”

As she gave the address, her whole world narrowed to the sound of Elena’s cries and the terrible realization that everything was racing out of control.

And Mason wasn’t here, he was out with his ex girlfriend.