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After volunteering to be a hostage of the bandits, the president’s husband repented and went crazy
Chapter 1
My daughter, Lily, was barely a month old when my husband, Frank, got a call from his enemies. They’d snatched her and wanted a cool million
in ransom.
Frank, though? He whined about his business being tight, said he couldn’t swing it. But then, the dirtbag, he turns around and drops two
million on a diamond necklace for his ex,
Tiffany.
I was done. Completely and utterly done. That’s
when Frank’s biggest rival, Damon, showed up
at my door, checkbook in hand.
He said, “Divorce that jerk and marry me. I’ll
pay the ransom.”
I didn’t hesitate. Signed the papers right then
and there. Damon, bless his heart, didn’t trust
anyone and even went himself with some mercs
to get Lily back. In my mind, he was it. My
forever guy.
But then, Lily turned five, and I walked in on
Damon letting her call Tiffany “Mom.”
“Damon,” Tiffany gushed, “you’ve suffered so
much for me and my daughter! You didn’t have
to marry Ashley, the second wife, and get tangled up in manslaughter.”
“As long as you’re happy with Frank, that’s all
that matters,” he said, all soft and googly–eyed.
“Just keep it a secret, okay? Ashley will lose it
if she finds out her real daughter is dead.”
Turns out, the rescue I thought I’d found, had
actually murdered my baby.
I watched them, these three, playing happy
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family, and I didn’t think twice. I pulled out my
phone and dialed the same kidnappers. “Three million–dollar deal. You interested?”
- 1.
The amusement park was packed, but Damon only had eyes for Lily and Tiffany. He was so wrapped up in them, he didn’t notice me
standing nearby.
His assistant walked over. “Mr. Hayes, it’s
almost the anniversary of your wife’s daughter’s death. Are you sure you want to go?”
Damon looked up, “Yeah. Even though it was an
accident, it’s still my fault that Ashley’s kid died. At least, Tiffany is happily married to
Frank.”
The assistant sighed, looking at the overly made–up Tiffany, “Tiffany’s only got eyes for Frank, even Lily is hers and Frank’s, why are
(inte
CORE inside
<
you sacrificing yourself like this?”
“If everything blows up, it’s not only you, the whole Hayes family will be done for.”
Damon said firmly, “It won’t. Ashley didn’t
realize the kid wasn’t hers back then, and she’s been raising her for 5 years, she’ll never suspect.”
The assistant paused, “But Ms. Johnson is so good to you. It’s not fair to trick her like this.”
Damon chuckled, “Fairness? It’s love, there’s
no such thing. I didn’t ask her to love me.”
“And if she finds out and starts trouble, I’ll just give her another baby.”
My blood ran cold.
Lily suddenly turned around and shouted,
“Mommy, come play with us!”
<
Everyone turned and looked at me. I ducked to
avoid everyone’s gaze, but then slipped and fell
into the fountain.
The water was freezing, but I was too scared to
get out.
Tiffany was annoyed, tossing her cotton candy, “Why are you shouting? Don’t you see your real
Mom is here?”
Lily got scared and ran away crying, “You’re a bad lady. You’re not my mommy!”
Damon, who was always doting on Lily,
frowned, “Lily, apologize to your mother!”
Lily cried even more and I felt a sharp pang of
pain. My body moved instinctively to go comfort
her.
But Damon’s words were swirling around in my
head.
<
That wasn’t my daughter.
My baby had been killed by Damon.
And I never even found a body!
She was just a month old!
Damon had sent her to a bunch of criminals for
Tiffany.
He played the hero, going to save the child, to
make it look like he’s trying, and made sure I
didn’t suspect that he had switched my baby
out for another.
And I was so naive, I made him my savior,
raising another woman’s child for him.
No wonder Damon’s assistant always looked at
me with pity.
I must look like the biggest idiot in the world.
<
Lily wouldn’t stop crying, so Damon had no
choice but to take her away.
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Only then, I pulled myself out of the fountain.
The cold wind didn’t even phase me.
I stumbled home. Damon saw that I was
soaking wet and hurried over to hug me.
While calling the staff, he warmed me with his own body.
“Ashley, what happened?”
I replied softly, “I was trying to find you and Lily
at the park and slipped into the fountain.”
He stiffened, and after a moment, composed himself.
“I told you that you didn’t need to go. You’re
with Lily everyday, this was supposed to be
your day off.”
For the past five years, Damon had taken Lily
out one day each week to let me rest.
Seeing Damon care for Lily like his own filled
my heart with warmth.
But now I realize, he was doing it to build a
relationship between Lily and Tiffany.
My five years were a lie.
- 2.
“Ashley, did you see anything at the amusement
park?”
I snapped back, looking at Damon as he tried to
probe me, dropping my gaze.
“If I had seen you, I wouldn’t be this mess.”
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