Chapter 3

Ethan waited for a full day, but I never returned Mia to him.

He stormed back into the manor with a group of men, throwing a bucket of ice-cold water over my son, who had passed out from hunger.

In the freezing winter wind, Leo was forced to his knees, his thin clothes soaked through.

Ethan looked down at him coldly.

"Chloe really is heartless. She's so desperate to compete with Mia that she doesn't even care about you anymore."

Leo's eyes were bloodshot as he glared defiantly at Ethan.

"Don't you dare talk about my mommy like that!"

"She would never leave me! It's that evil woman who took her!"

Ethan suddenly grabbed Leo by his hair.

"Leo, you dare lie to my face? Do you think I won't hurt you?"

"Tell me where Chloe is! My patience is wearing thin!"

"I told you, Mommy got taken!"

Ethan kicked Leo hard in the stomach.

Leo curled inward, gasping for air, unable to get up from the floor.

To pay back Mia, I had already given up everything. Leo was all I had left.

But why? Why wouldn't Ethan just believe me?

I never wanted to hurt Mia...

Leo lay on the floor, battered and utterly broken.

"Uncle Ethan, please, just take me instead! Tell them to let Mommy go. Swap me for her!"

Maybe the sheer agony in Leo's eyes struck a chord, because Ethan froze for a second.

But in the next second, Leo began to cough violently, spitting up a mouthful of bright red blood.

"Leo..."

A flash of regret crossed Ethan's face, and he instinctively reached out.

Just then, the kidnappers sent another video.

The footage was grainy. A woman was tied to a rusted metal chair.

A burlap sack covered her head, hiding her face, but blood was soaking through the fabric, dripping slowly down her neck.

Her exposed skin was covered in deep, jagged cuts, raw flesh oozing blood.

A kidnapper's chilly voice echoed from the phone.

"Ethan, if you don't want her to die a slow death, I suggest you don't touch that boy."

"Otherwise, you'll have to live with the consequences."

The video immediately went black.

Ethan's eyes turned red. Seeing Mia's horrific state, he completely lost his mind.

Clenching his fists, he whipped around to glare at Leo.

"You still dare to claim Chloe didn't kidnap Mia? If she didn't, why would the kidnappers warn me not to touch you?!"

"She thinks she can threaten me? Delusional bitch!"

Ethan stared down at the helpless boy shivering on the floor.

The next second, he stepped forward, raised his foot, and kicked Leo hard in the stomach again.

Ethan's strikes were brutal, as if he were unleashing all his fury onto my son.

Blood spluttered from Leo's mouth.

Ignoring the horrific sight, Ethan took out his phone, snapped a photo of the bloodied boy, and sent me a text.

"Chloe, did you really think this pathetic stunt would work on me?"

"I have your son. This is your final warning. If you don't release Mia, don't blame me for what I do to him!"

The message went through, but there was no reply.

Ethan completely lost his patience.

"Chloe, you brought this on yourself!"

"Throw this little bastard into the asylum! Keep him there until he's ready to talk!"