Chapter 1

Seven days after my daughter disappeared, I took the entire preschool hostage.

All 27 students and two teachers were locked inside a classroom.

I announced to the police that if my daughter wasn't found, I would kill one child every thirty minutes.

Ms. Albright, the preschool principal, wailed hysterically, pleading on her knees before me. "Your daughter went missing, it wasn't my doing! Why drag other children into this?"

I just glanced at my watch. "Twenty-nine minutes left. Find my daughter, fast."

I knew she was somewhere in this very preschool.

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Five minutes ago, Ms. Albright's attitude had been entirely different—arrogant, even.

I leaned against the door. Inside, the children were still playing, oblivious, only the two female teachers staring at me with terrified eyes.

Outside, Ms. Albright was still pounding on the door, asking irritably, "What the hell do you want?! How is your daughter going missing my problem?! Open the door! It's almost time for dismissal!"

I frowned, pulled a makeshift gun from my pocket, and without a word, fired a shot behind me.

Ms. Albright instantly fell silent, trembling as she stumbled back a couple of steps.

"You, you're serious? I'm telling you, this is a crime! I’ll call the police, and holding this many kids hostage will get you shot!"

I scoffed, caressing the gun in my hand. "Go ahead and call them. You're not qualified to talk to me."

Five minutes later, siren wails filled the air outside.

A gentle male voice spoke from beyond the door. I knew him: Officer Miller from the local precinct.

He spoke calmly, trying to persuade me logically and emotionally. "Sarah, don't get agitated. We're doing everything we can to investigate your daughter's disappearance. Just release the children, and we can talk, okay?"

I gripped the gun, fighting the urge to laugh.

My daughter, Lily, had been missing for seven whole days, without a trace. What was there to talk about now?

Talk about how many years I'd spend in prison?

I shouted, "I just want to see my daughter! If I don't see her in thirty minutes, you'll start seeing other children's bodies!"

The yard was already cordoned off with police tape. Parents who'd heard the news were crying their eyes out beyond the line.

Worried my gun might harm the hostages, the police not only had to be wary of me but also had to hold back the surging crowd.

Sweat poured down Officer Miller’s face. This was already beyond his pay grade. Detectives and the SWAT team would arrive soon.

Until then, he needed to keep me calm.

"Ms. Lee," he pleaded, "we understand how you feel, but these children are innocent. You're their teacher. How can you bear to hurt them?"

The biggest regret of my life was becoming a teacher at this preschool.

If I hadn't come here, my daughter wouldn't have disappeared.

I checked the time, speaking coldly. "Twenty-eight minutes left. You don't want anyone to get hurt, do you?"

Officer Miller said nervously, "We're doing our best to find her, but it's not something we can do in a flash."

I roared, "I told you, she never left this preschool! Search HERE!"

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