I had been a total fool last time.
Until the very end, I never suspected that she
was the one who’d contacted the traffickers
and set everything in motion!
“Okay, okay, calm down. I’ll find the little
rascal. She’s probably hiding in some closet.”
I pretended to search for Lily, and then I
heard the front door slam open downstairs.
“Lily’s missing? What happened? How could
she just disappear?”
く
Mark had raced home as soon as he got the
call, looking frantic.
Jessica saw him and immediately went into
full meltdown mode, launching into her most
dramatic act yet.
“Lily was playing in the yard. Sarah just had
to try out the makeup I got her and
completely ignored her.”
“I asked her to keep an eye on Lily, but she
wouldn’t listen. She said it was fine, nothing
would happen.”
“And then, Lily was gone!”
Sure enough, hearing that, Mark’s eyes
bugged out, and he pointed at me, his face
く
“What if something really bad happened to
her!”
He started tearing through the house,
desperately hoping Lily was just playing hide-
and–seek.
Jessica acted even more frantic than Mark,
even rummaging through our unfinished
basement.
But I knew it was all a show, a carefully
crafted performance for Mark’s benefit.
“Lily’s really not hiding. Sarah, you have to
think! Where could she be?”
Seeing her all helpless and tearful, I just
replied coldly:
<
“I’ll check the security cameras at the front
entrance. There’s one not too far away from
our front door.”
Hearing that, Jessica’s eyes flickered with
panic, just for a split second.
If we identified the traffickers, she’d be
exposed.
Soon, Mark and I were at the security office,
checking the footage.
Sure enough, Lily had been grabbed by two
people in masks and baseball caps and
shoved into a black sedan.
“Don’t worry. The license plate is clear. We’ll
track down the car, and we’ll get Lily back.”
r
Compared to the constantly sobbing Jessica,
I seemed strangely calm.
But then…
SMACK! Before I could finish, Mark slapped
me so hard I almost fell.
“That’s our daughter!”
“Now we know she’s been kidnapped! Maybe
you should take a hard look at your own
f*cking problems!”
“I spend all this money taking care of you,
and you can’t even watch our own kid!”
I touched my stinging cheek, my eyes filled
with disappointment.
