Chapter 4

My entire body trembled violently, my heart aching as if it would shatter.

Chelsea rolled her eyes, scoffing.

"Of course it was real! You think I gave her a makeover? I don't have that kind of talent!"

"Whose fault is it that she's so young and already seducing men? I bet you taught her—a rotten tree bears rotten fruit!"

I truly couldn't believe such words could come from an adult.

I'd heard about Damon and Chelsea's affair years ago. I knew Chelsea was petty, jealous, and a drama queen, but I never imagined she was such a psychopath!

My head reeled. I only wished I had a knife; otherwise, I would have plunged it straight into her heart.

"You sick twisted freak! I—I'll kill you!"

I completely lost it, grabbing a half-burnt wooden stick from the ground and swinging it at Chelsea's head.

But Damon's furious yell stopped me. Chelsea, seizing the moment, snatched the stick and slammed it onto my forehead.

"You're the psycho! I was just 'disciplining' that little brat for you, and you want to kill me for it?!"

Chelsea glared at me, her face showing no remorse, then feigned hurt and burrowed into Damon's arms.

"Waaah… Damon, it's all your fault! If your mother hadn't stopped you from marrying me back then, the daughter I was carrying would be as old as that little brat now. My heart aches so much…"

"I'm sorry, Chelsea. I couldn't help it back then. Don't worry, if you want kids, my daughter is your daughter—"

I clutched my throbbing forehead. Warm, sticky blood was streaming down my face, yet these two despicable people were rekindling their old flames right in front of me.

My heart ached with spasms, almost suffocating me.

"Willow… where is my daughter? I need to find her!"

"Damon, when Willow is back, she's mine. We're getting a divorce! Whatever you and your twisted mistress do after that has nothing to do with me!"

Suddenly, an unknown animal roared outside, making Damon flinch. That's when he finally remembered our daughter.

"Right, Chelsea, which part of the mountain did Willow go to pick tea? It's so late, we need to find her."

"Sniffle, sniffle… I just told her to pick tea. This mountain is so big, how would I know which peak she went to…?"

Chelsea's words ignited another surge of furious anger in me, but I knew killing her now would be useless. The most urgent thing was to find Willow.

I didn't have time to waste on these two. I grabbed a random stick from the ground and rushed out.

The mountain was pitch black. Forget streetlights, there wasn't even a single glow. And the animal roars from the mountain were growing louder.

I suddenly remembered something and immediately pulled out my phone to dial 911 and 902, only to find no service.

Apparently, there were no cell towers built in these deep mountains. Just as despair washed over me, I suddenly heard a child's terrified scream from the mountainside not far away.

"Ah—Mommy! Mommy, help me!"

In the silent dead of night, Willow's scream was piercingly clear. I no longer cared about anything else and charged straight up the mountain.

Damon's voice, however, called out from behind me.

"Iris Reynolds, if you want to go, go by yourself. I'm not risking my life. Besides, Chelsea is timid; I need to stay and keep her company!"

I froze, stunned. I couldn't believe these words were coming from the man I once deeply loved, my daughter's own father.

I gritted my teeth, glaring at Damon, who was tightly embracing Chelsea, and spoke each word distinctly.

"I told you, if anything happens to Willow, I will make you both pay with your lives!"

With that, I plunged into the mountain alone, without a second thought!