But as soon as I finished speaking, Mark
slapped me again and yelled:
“How dare you speak to my mom like that! Is
that the attitude you think you should have!”
“What did my mom even say wrong! You’re
useless right now!”
My mother–in–law shoved me hard.
I lost my balance and went tumbling down the
stairs.
I hit my head several times on the steps as I
rolled all the way down.
The impact made me dizzy and sore all over.
But they just stood there and watched me,
not lifting a finger.
“Serves you right!”
“Quit faking it and get up!”
“This isn’t the time for you to play dead!”
く
As I lay on the floor, in so much pain I
couldn’t move, a police car screeched to a
halt outside.
Seeing it, Mark and his parents immediately
perked up, rushing to greet the officers.
“Officers, where’s my daughter?”
But the police who got out weren’t holding my
daughter. Mark’s face fell.
The officers looked grim.
“We caught the traffickers, but your daughter
wasn’t in the car.”
The officer’s words crushed everyone’s hopes.
But Jessica’s lips curled into a faint smile,
<
BWTUI}
“How could this be! The cameras showed
them taking my daughter in the car!”
“How could she not be there!”
Mark was furious and almost grabbed the
officer’s collar.
Then, the police turned to me.
“Ms. Sarah, you probably know how your
daughter went missing better than anyone
else, right?”
That made everyone scratch their heads.
Everyone stared at me in shock.
I was just as confused, not understanding
what the police were saving.
<
“What do you mean by that?”
The officer’s face darkened.
What he said next made everyone angrier
than ever.
“The traffickers have confessed. They said
they weren’t real traffickers.”
“They said you contacted them beforehand
and told them to take the child.”
“You did it to act out a charade for your
husband!”
Mark stared at the officer, wondering if he’d
heard wrong.
Г
Finally, it registered, and he turned to me, his
mouth agape.
“Sarah, are you out of your mind! What are
you trying to do!”
