Laura I tried to free myself from my bonds again; I had to find a way to save my daughter. That's when I heard voices arguing loudly in the compartment where my daughter was, and then the sound of a gunshot made me freeze. "Annie? My God, my daughter," I screamed in shock. My eyes were wide as I
“My mom doesn't like cutting her hair,” said Annie, and reflexively, I shielded her with my body. Richard and his partner laughed. “I think your Mommy is used to getting her hair cut in those fancy salons where the price of a session there would be enough to support all the homeless people in New
Laura When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was my head throbbing with pain. I realized that I was tied to the chair again, but now so tightly that I couldn't even move. I grunted in pain, slowly lifting my head and seeing Richard sitting in front of me. There was blood on his clothes and his h
“Oh, my love, I'm so sorry,” he said, hugging me and kissing my cheek. “But you know that you were the only one to blame for your daughter's death. I mean, how could you trust a whore like Suzy? So she was the one who kidnapped Annie for me in exchange for money? That girl was an opportunist; she kn
Suzy I never had a mother. Certainly, those nuns who were daughters of the devil and took care of the children in the orphanage where I grew up were not an example of a mother. I had to grow my way by surviving one day at a time, and even my happiest memory from my childhood could never replace the
I could finally breathe a sigh of relief even though my shoulder was throbbing, I realized that the rear wheel of my car was damaged, probably that son of a bitch Richard had shot that wheel too, but I couldn't stop now to check until I knew for sure that he wasn't following us. “Annie? Annie, dar
Jason I was looking for Laura and my daughter, like I was completely crazy. Wasn't that right? A person didn't disappear like that without leaving a trace. When I called Annie's school, they said that her mom had sent someone to pick her up early, but even if Laura had left, she would have told Ava
Jason Three hours had passed since the moment I discovered the truth behind Laura and Annie's disappearance: they had been kidnapped by the cowardly Richard, and now only God knew what they would be going through. I had assembled every police force I could muster in such a short amount of time, and
I blinked, trying to process what he was saying. "But what if... what if I mess it all up again? I’m not perfect, Matt. I have my flaws, my scars." He smiled, a smile both gentle and confident. "No one’s perfect, Lindsay. I’m not either. But you know what? My dad, Killian... he’s not my biological
Lindsay POV We arrived at the hotel after a night that still echoed in me like a good dream. Wyatt was exhausted, which wasn’t surprising after such an eventful day at the Weiss house. He fell asleep almost immediately after I put him to bed, a slight smile on his face that made me feel that, despi
Lindsay POV The dinner was a marvel, an experience that felt like a warm hug in the form of food and company. Emma Weiss insisted that I try every dish she had prepared with such care, and I couldn’t deny how much it made me feel welcomed. "My lasagna recipe is famous," she said with a proud smile,
Lindsay POV The weekend in Atlanta had a taste of novelty and nervousness. Matt had invited me to dinner at his mother's house, Emma Weiss, and the idea of meeting his family left me in a state of anxiety mixed with anticipation. I had never met the parents of someone I was dating since, well, sinc
Laura POV Jason and Terence were terrible singers, but that didn't stop them from diving into karaoke, hitting every note off-key while making their wives laugh with their comedic performance. Ava and I, now alone in a VIP area of the bar, continued the celebration of our daughters' entry into col
Laura POV"This strawberry drink is delicious," I commented, sipping my drink through a straw."Oh, nice. My pineapple one is really irresistible," Ava also commented, smiling, though the smile was somewhat reserved and awkward, just like mine.We were at a luxurious bar, a place that contrasted wit
As we walked, I thought about what Abby had said. It wasn't Caleb who mattered; it was the betrayal of a friendship I thought would last forever. The pain of losing that trust was still fresh, and perhaps that was why I didn't want to think about Caleb at all. But at the same time, there was a part
Annie POV I watched my parents' car drive away with a sense of sadness; part of me wanted to go with them and give up on everything, but I was also excited to start a new life at Oxwell. The sound of the engine fading into the distance seemed to carry away a piece of my childhood, leaving me with a
Jason POV We were in the Oxwell campus parking lot, giving our final hugs before heading back home. Annie was practically engulfed in our embrace, hugging us tightly and saying she would miss us, even though she knew she could come home every weekend. Her hug was a mix of farewell and beginning, so