Chapter 71 Tommy Is Kidnapped

Ava's Pov

I woke up to an empty bed. The sheets beside me were cold, a clear sign that Richard had been gone for a while. I rolled over, my mind still foggy from sleep, and tried to shake off the unease that settled in my chest.

I remembered how exhausted I felt last night, how I had fallen asleep almost instantly after... Well, after everything. Richard had seemed concerned, but I had brushed it off as nothing.

But now, as I lay there alone, something felt wrong.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand, hoping for some kind of distraction. Just as I picked it up, it buzzed in my hand.

A notification. I frowned, wondering who would be messaging me so early. When I unlocked the screen, my heart stopped.

It was a video message from an unknown number.

My hands trembled as I tapped the screen, my breath caught in my throat. The video began to play, and my world tilted.

"Ma-Mama... Papa, please... I'm scared."

Tommy’s tiny voice trembled through the speaker, and I felt