Chapter 1

The biological daughter staged her own kidnapping.

In the video she sent to Ethan, she cried out pitifully for help.

But behind the camera, the kidnappers were kicking and punching me.

In the very last second of the video, Mia wailed, "Ethan, Chloe set this up! Save me!"

My mouth was duct-taped shut. I couldn't scream.

I thrashed around, trying to make enough noise for Ethan to notice, but it only earned me a more brutal beating from the thugs.

Ethan stormed into the old family manor like a madman and grabbed my eight-year-old son's arm.

"Leo, where is your bitch of a mother? Tell her to get out here right now!"

My son's eyes were vacant. Still traumatized by watching me get dragged away by the kidnappers, he couldn't speak.

To Ethan, his silence only fueled his deep disgust.

"Still playing your cheap mind games after all these years, aren't you? You even faked a kidnapping."

"Fine. Since she's hiding, I'm taking you. Let's see if your doting mother actually shows her face for you!"

But he had no idea that I was already a bloody, broken mess in the hands of those monsters.

He thought he was holding my weakness hostage. He didn't know he was torturing his own flesh and blood!

The video cut to black.

The kidnapper smoothly untied the ropes around Mia's wrists and ankles.

Mia rubbed her slightly numb wrists, frowning as she complained to the thug.

"It's just a show! Who told you to tie me up so tight? My hands are completely numb!"

The thug quickly bowed his head and apologized, terrified of upsetting her.

Watching this, my blood boiled with uncontrollable rage.

I thrashed against the wooden chair I was tied to, desperately trying to break free.

Mia slowly turned her gaze to me, her smile sending chills down my spine.

"Why so dramatic, Chloe? Have you forgotten? I'm the one who's supposed to be kidnapped."

A flash of pure malice crossed her eyes.

She reached out and violently ripped the duct tape off my mouth.

A sharp, agonizing pain flared as the skin of my lips was torn away.

Blood instantly welled up, dripping down my chin and staining my shirt.

I couldn't help but let out a low groan of agony.

Mia looked down at me, a sadistic smirk playing on her lips.

"Look at you. I don't know what Ethan is still obsessed with. He's still searching for the woman from that night, refusing to touch me."

"I drugged you back then hoping some homeless guy would ruin you, but you ended up crawling into Ethan's bed instead. I drugged him too—I was supposed to be the one lying next to him! You stole my place, you bitch!"

"And I never expected you to get pregnant with his child. Too bad he's a freak. Ethan will probably go to his grave thinking that kid is some bastard, never knowing it's actually his own son!"

Mia laughed hysterically. "Do you know why I only took you and left your son alone? Because I don't even have to lift a finger. Ethan only trusts me. When he can't find you, who do you think he'll take his anger out on?"

"By now, Ethan is probably at the manor. I can't wait to see how he destroys your autistic little boy!"

I stared at Mia in sheer horror.

"Mia, you're insane! I already gave everything back to you! Why won't you let us go? Isn't torturing me enough? Why do you have to go after my child?!"

Mia's hand slowly climbed up my neck, squeezing tightly. Her eyes were icy.

"Because your very existence is a constant reminder of my humiliating past!"

"Why did you get to steal my life from the moment you were born, while I had to get beaten half to death by that white-trash foster family? I didn't have a single patch of unbruised skin growing up!"

"All of this is your fault! Why do you get to live without a care in the world? You deserve to die!"

Her face contorted in rage as she grabbed a handful of my hair, dragging me toward the thugs.

A sharp pain ripped through my scalp as chunks of hair were torn out, leaving raw, bleeding skin. I could barely breathe from the pain.

A sick, manic light danced in Mia's eyes.

"Torture her slowly. Don't let her die too quickly. I want her to suffer, piece by piece, until she begs for death!"

"Chloe, if you dare resist, don't blame me for being cruel. I'll make sure your precious son goes to the grave with you!"

Despair washed over me as my body shook uncontrollably.

I didn't know what kind of horror awaited me.

But I didn't dare fight back.

My baby... he had to be safe...