It was 2:00 pm, and the sun was relentless. I was in the neighboring city for a work trip when my five-year-old daughter, Sally, called me. Her voice was trembling with fear, and she was wracked with tears."Mom, help me! Dad locked me in the car."My head spun, and I nearly passed out. "Baby, don't cry... Tell me where you are, and I'll come get you right now!"Sally tried to calm down and sobbed out the words, "I'm at..."However, the call ended. I panicked and called back, but the phone was off. I tried again, but it was still off. It had to be out of battery. I started calling my husband, Charles Lowe, frantically, but there was no answer! Even when I called again, I could not get through.I shouted to my coworkers, asking them to call the police. All the while, I continued to call Charles. I jumped into my car and sped back to our city. Finally, the call connected, and Charles' impatient voice came through."What is it? I'm busy."In the background, I heard a little girl gi
At that moment, Charles was expressionless, but I felt like the happiest person in the world. I had loved him for so long, but I was always in the background. I never asked for anything in return. I thought that this time, I had finally won his heart.We married quickly and had Sally. I believed our life would be a happy, peaceful one. Then, one day, I found him staring blankly at his phone, tears streaming down his face. I took his phone quietly and saw the news that shattered my world.There had been a serious car accident; a woman and child narrowly escaped death. But her husband died tragically. In the photo, the woman, still with her long curly hair and delicate beauty, was unmistakably Chloe, whom we had not seen in years.Charles tried to stay calm, but I could see through his facade. "I just feel bad for them," he said, his voice almost too casual.In the days that followed, he became increasingly absent-minded. He forgot important dates—my birthday, Sally's vaccination a
"Mrs. Lowe, your husband's car is still in the company parking lot.""Jessica, the amusement park staff is looking around, but they haven't found anything yet.""Jessica, Chloe isn't at the office. I heard she's on a business trip with some guy."I nearly screamed, "Then check her car for me! Sally is still in the car!"Ahead, everything was blindingly bright. The sun was scorching, and the ground looked distorted from the heat.I felt like my brain was distorted too. I was already speeding, but I did not care. Nothing could happen to my baby.I was getting closer to the city, but I was not feeling any relief.His phone was still off, just as it was on the nights that he did not come home. On those nights, Sally could not sleep and would cry for her dad. "Did Dad get lost? Mom, can we go find Dad?"I could not bear to tell her that he was probably at someone else's house... I lied and said he was working overtime.But she kept asking to go to his company to keep him company.
I sped to the hospital, running red lights along the way. It was almost 5:00 pm. Franklin and a few friends were waiting for me outside, their expressions tight with worry."Things are not good, but we need you to stay calm," Franklin said.I felt dizzy as I approached the emergency room door. Inside, they were still working on my tiny daughter. How could this happen? She was just locked in the car. How could it be this bad?Sally had hugged and kissed me sweetly before I left, telling me to come back soon. Now, she was in the emergency room in the blink of an eye. I had imagined the worst on my way here, but I never thought it would be like this.Franklin began to explain how they found her, "We traced Chloe's car through the transportation department, but it wasn't at the amusement park. We then checked the kindergarten's surveillance and spotted the car. It was Chloe's late husband's car."After getting the license plate number, they enlisted the help of a lot of friends and fi
I sprang up, my heart pounding in my chest.The doctor just sighed and shook his head. My heart felt as if it had sunk into an abyss.I grabbed the doctor by the collar, my voice breaking. "Sally will be okay, right? Tell me she'll be okay!"He looked downcast and told me they had done their best, but we'd have to see how she did in the ICU."Where's her father? It would be best if he could come too," he added softly.Desperation clawed at my insides. I wanted to shake the doctor, beg him to do more, to not give up. But then I saw my precious daughter, Sally, covered in tubes, being wheeled toward the ICU. I ran after her, my cries echoing in the sterile hallways."Sally! Sally, you'll be alright, my dear Sally," I sobbed out the words, my voice cracking.Her eyes were closed, her small body swathed in bandages. Her face was ghostly pale and lifeless, like a broken doll. Just before I left on my business trip, she had been so full of life. She had been hugging me and calling out
Just as I was about to break through the blockade, the police shouted through a loudspeaker, "We've already contacted your husband!"I muttered to myself, "Good. It's great that you've contacted him. Sally and I were just going to look for him. Sally has always wanted us to be reunited as a family. Sally, my baby. You'll soon see your dad."Then, a police officer approached me, talking into a phone in hand. "Mr. Lowe, right? I'm an officer from the Kurtz District. Your daughter has passed away. Your wife hasn't been able to accept it and is currently with your daughter's body—"There was a brief pause before a cold voice cut through the line. "Jessica, you've got someone to pretend to be a cop now, huh? What's this? Do you want me to play along with your act too? Sally's body? Really?"I could not help but burst into hysterical laughter at his words. Tears streamed down my face as I laughed uncontrollably."See, I told you, Sally's fine! She's just playing around!" I shrieked hyst
Just as we were looking for tickets, Charles called.I showed the screen to Sally and quickly answered."Jessica, what the hell are you doing at the amusement park?" His voice was sharp, laced with anger. "You make me sick, Jessica. This just makes me hate you more…"I lowered my voice. "Shh, don't let Sally hear! Charles, calm down. Sally's been dreaming of this for so long. It's perfect timing now that you're here too.""Perfect timing? Are you out of your mind? You know how Holly's condition is. How could you bring Sally here and upset her like this?"I replied coldly, "Don't worry, Sally and I will let you spend some time together. That kid will be yours from now on."The line went silent for a moment, and I could feel the weight of what was coming. The conflict was far from over, but today was a start. Today, we would confront the past and face whatever came next.Charles' voice thundered through the phone, "What the hell did you just say? I'm warning you, don't do anything
"Sally, see, she's noisier than you," I muttered.At the highest point of the Ferris wheel, the world below looked like a toy city.I knew there was a small air vent at the top of the cabin, just big enough for a person to squeeze through.Summoning all my strength, I climbed out, pulling my daughter and the unconscious Holly with me.We reached the catwalk connected to the cabin. It was a narrow track just over a yard wide. The track led to the center axis of the Ferris wheel.With my daughter and the unconscious Holly in my arms, we slid down the track. It was all downhill from here. The amusement park was scarce with people this late, and no one would notice us on the giant Ferris wheel. We were just tiny figures against the night sky. The outside world was a blur of dazzling lights, but on the track, darkness enveloped us.Finally, we reached the heart of the Ferris wheel. There was a small platform that was a good 300 feet above the ground, meant for workers to stand on duri
"Honey, I'm begging you, please come back down." Charles' voice crackled through the phone."Honey, I know I was wrong. Please don't make things hard for Holly…" he pleaded, his voice breaking."Sally, my dear Sally…" he cried out.I picked up the phone, my patience wearing thin. "What do you mean by that? How am I making things hard for Holly? She's with Sally. What's the problem with that? You don't like it? I'm hanging up now…"Sally is telling me to, so I'm hanging up…"Then, turning to Holly, I questioned, "You got someone to get our whereabouts? You're a scheming one. Don't you think, Sally?""You're gross!" Holly screamed in my ear. "Dad, save me!"I grabbed a sock and stuffed it in her mouth, silencing her cries."Sally wants me to play with her. She said you're too loud and should be locked in a car," I said with a giggle. "Okay, okay, I won't use my phone anymore," I said as I looked tenderly at Sally. I then gently turned off my phone.All hope was completely exti
"Sally, see, she's noisier than you," I muttered.At the highest point of the Ferris wheel, the world below looked like a toy city.I knew there was a small air vent at the top of the cabin, just big enough for a person to squeeze through.Summoning all my strength, I climbed out, pulling my daughter and the unconscious Holly with me.We reached the catwalk connected to the cabin. It was a narrow track just over a yard wide. The track led to the center axis of the Ferris wheel.With my daughter and the unconscious Holly in my arms, we slid down the track. It was all downhill from here. The amusement park was scarce with people this late, and no one would notice us on the giant Ferris wheel. We were just tiny figures against the night sky. The outside world was a blur of dazzling lights, but on the track, darkness enveloped us.Finally, we reached the heart of the Ferris wheel. There was a small platform that was a good 300 feet above the ground, meant for workers to stand on duri
Just as we were looking for tickets, Charles called.I showed the screen to Sally and quickly answered."Jessica, what the hell are you doing at the amusement park?" His voice was sharp, laced with anger. "You make me sick, Jessica. This just makes me hate you more…"I lowered my voice. "Shh, don't let Sally hear! Charles, calm down. Sally's been dreaming of this for so long. It's perfect timing now that you're here too.""Perfect timing? Are you out of your mind? You know how Holly's condition is. How could you bring Sally here and upset her like this?"I replied coldly, "Don't worry, Sally and I will let you spend some time together. That kid will be yours from now on."The line went silent for a moment, and I could feel the weight of what was coming. The conflict was far from over, but today was a start. Today, we would confront the past and face whatever came next.Charles' voice thundered through the phone, "What the hell did you just say? I'm warning you, don't do anything
Just as I was about to break through the blockade, the police shouted through a loudspeaker, "We've already contacted your husband!"I muttered to myself, "Good. It's great that you've contacted him. Sally and I were just going to look for him. Sally has always wanted us to be reunited as a family. Sally, my baby. You'll soon see your dad."Then, a police officer approached me, talking into a phone in hand. "Mr. Lowe, right? I'm an officer from the Kurtz District. Your daughter has passed away. Your wife hasn't been able to accept it and is currently with your daughter's body—"There was a brief pause before a cold voice cut through the line. "Jessica, you've got someone to pretend to be a cop now, huh? What's this? Do you want me to play along with your act too? Sally's body? Really?"I could not help but burst into hysterical laughter at his words. Tears streamed down my face as I laughed uncontrollably."See, I told you, Sally's fine! She's just playing around!" I shrieked hyst
I sprang up, my heart pounding in my chest.The doctor just sighed and shook his head. My heart felt as if it had sunk into an abyss.I grabbed the doctor by the collar, my voice breaking. "Sally will be okay, right? Tell me she'll be okay!"He looked downcast and told me they had done their best, but we'd have to see how she did in the ICU."Where's her father? It would be best if he could come too," he added softly.Desperation clawed at my insides. I wanted to shake the doctor, beg him to do more, to not give up. But then I saw my precious daughter, Sally, covered in tubes, being wheeled toward the ICU. I ran after her, my cries echoing in the sterile hallways."Sally! Sally, you'll be alright, my dear Sally," I sobbed out the words, my voice cracking.Her eyes were closed, her small body swathed in bandages. Her face was ghostly pale and lifeless, like a broken doll. Just before I left on my business trip, she had been so full of life. She had been hugging me and calling out
I sped to the hospital, running red lights along the way. It was almost 5:00 pm. Franklin and a few friends were waiting for me outside, their expressions tight with worry."Things are not good, but we need you to stay calm," Franklin said.I felt dizzy as I approached the emergency room door. Inside, they were still working on my tiny daughter. How could this happen? She was just locked in the car. How could it be this bad?Sally had hugged and kissed me sweetly before I left, telling me to come back soon. Now, she was in the emergency room in the blink of an eye. I had imagined the worst on my way here, but I never thought it would be like this.Franklin began to explain how they found her, "We traced Chloe's car through the transportation department, but it wasn't at the amusement park. We then checked the kindergarten's surveillance and spotted the car. It was Chloe's late husband's car."After getting the license plate number, they enlisted the help of a lot of friends and fi
"Mrs. Lowe, your husband's car is still in the company parking lot.""Jessica, the amusement park staff is looking around, but they haven't found anything yet.""Jessica, Chloe isn't at the office. I heard she's on a business trip with some guy."I nearly screamed, "Then check her car for me! Sally is still in the car!"Ahead, everything was blindingly bright. The sun was scorching, and the ground looked distorted from the heat.I felt like my brain was distorted too. I was already speeding, but I did not care. Nothing could happen to my baby.I was getting closer to the city, but I was not feeling any relief.His phone was still off, just as it was on the nights that he did not come home. On those nights, Sally could not sleep and would cry for her dad. "Did Dad get lost? Mom, can we go find Dad?"I could not bear to tell her that he was probably at someone else's house... I lied and said he was working overtime.But she kept asking to go to his company to keep him company.
At that moment, Charles was expressionless, but I felt like the happiest person in the world. I had loved him for so long, but I was always in the background. I never asked for anything in return. I thought that this time, I had finally won his heart.We married quickly and had Sally. I believed our life would be a happy, peaceful one. Then, one day, I found him staring blankly at his phone, tears streaming down his face. I took his phone quietly and saw the news that shattered my world.There had been a serious car accident; a woman and child narrowly escaped death. But her husband died tragically. In the photo, the woman, still with her long curly hair and delicate beauty, was unmistakably Chloe, whom we had not seen in years.Charles tried to stay calm, but I could see through his facade. "I just feel bad for them," he said, his voice almost too casual.In the days that followed, he became increasingly absent-minded. He forgot important dates—my birthday, Sally's vaccination a
It was 2:00 pm, and the sun was relentless. I was in the neighboring city for a work trip when my five-year-old daughter, Sally, called me. Her voice was trembling with fear, and she was wracked with tears."Mom, help me! Dad locked me in the car."My head spun, and I nearly passed out. "Baby, don't cry... Tell me where you are, and I'll come get you right now!"Sally tried to calm down and sobbed out the words, "I'm at..."However, the call ended. I panicked and called back, but the phone was off. I tried again, but it was still off. It had to be out of battery. I started calling my husband, Charles Lowe, frantically, but there was no answer! Even when I called again, I could not get through.I shouted to my coworkers, asking them to call the police. All the while, I continued to call Charles. I jumped into my car and sped back to our city. Finally, the call connected, and Charles' impatient voice came through."What is it? I'm busy."In the background, I heard a little girl gi