On the day my son was kidnapped, my CEO husband was live-streaming to celebrate his white moonlight's birthday. I called him for help, but he said I was being too dramatic. "Lin Yue, it's a pity you're not an actress; you can make up such lies, so stop bothering me." Later, my son was found injured all over, and he went mad searching for the murderer.
The day our son was kidnapped, Jeff Robinson, my CEO husband was live-streaming a birthday celebration for his first love.
I called him for help, but he accused me of being overly dramatic.
"Rosanna, it's a pity you're not an actress. You have a knack for making up stories. Stop harassing me."
Later, when our son's bruised and battered body was found, he went mad trying to find the culprit.
1
"Madam, the young master will be alright."
I anxiously stared at my phone, waiting for the private detective to locate my son, Greg.
An hour ago, I went to pick him up from kindergarten, but he had vanished. I frantically checked all the surveillance cameras around, but there was no trace of him.
"Where's Jeff? Have you reached him?"
I worriedly asked Mr. Griffiths, our steward, who seemed a bit uneasy.
"We've called him many times, but he's currently... unavailable."
I forced a bitter smile, bitter inside. He must be with that woman.
Ever since his first love, Lily Stevens, returned after her divorce, Jeff had become increasingly distant from Greg and me, often not coming home at night.
Whenever our son asked where his father was, I told him he was working, but I knew he was with her.
I had confronted him for our son's sake, but he only blamed me.
"Rosanna, if you hadn't tricked me into marrying you, I would have married Lily. Don't push your luck."
No matter how I tried to explain, he never believed me, only trusting his first love.
Beep beep beep-
I glanced at my phone, startled by an unfamiliar text message.
"Greg!"
The photo in the message showed a child tied to a chair, still with breakfast stains on his collar.
Seeing this, my mind went blank. Greg had been kidnapped?
"Prepare two hundred million in three hours, or you'll be collecting a body."
Another message popped up, and I felt my whole body tremble.
Two hundred million! Only the company had that kind of money!
But when I rushed to the company, staff of the finance department hesitated, saying, "Madam, without the boss's order, we can't do anything."
I was frantic. After Jeff took over the company, he had unexpectedly replaced everyone, leaving none of my people there.
Desperately, I dialed Jeff's number while getting into the car, but the call wouldn't go through.
"Where on earth is he? Why can't I reach him?"
Mr. Griffiths finally confessed, "Jeff is in Lily's live stream. Today is her birthday..."
I opened the video to see Jeff and Lily sitting close, their hands intertwined, eyes locked in a suggestive atmosphere.
In the past, this would have upset me, but now all I wanted was Greg.
I kept calling, tears of desperation welling up.
Please, Jeff, answer the phone!
"Rosanna, what do you want? Are you crazy..."
The call finally connected and his impatient male voice came from the other end of the line.
I quickly spoke, "Greg is missing! He's been kidnapped! Jeff, they want two hundred million to release him! The finance department said the amount is too large and needs your authorization..."
"Rosanna!"
His thunderous shout was deafening. "Did you call me dozens of times just to mess with me? It's a pity you're not an actress. You have a knack for making up stories. I'm telling you! Stop harassing me. If you have any decency, don't interrupt me and Lily!"
The line went dead, leaving my mind blank.
What did he mean? Greg was his son! Why didn't he believe me? Why did he always trust that woman's words and think I was lying?
Desperate, I shouted outside Lily's agency, "I need to see Lily! I need to see Jeff! I'm Jeff's wife!"
The security guard, thinking I was causing trouble, tightened his grip on me.
"Fans, stay back, or we'll call the police."
But when he saw my face, he paused.
I hadn't realized I was already in tears.
Then, a voice came through his walkie-talkie, "Mr. Robinson said not to let outsiders in."
The clear voice was from Jeff's bodyguard.
Outsiders? I collapsed to the side, powerless, calling the people who had helped me find the location, but they were helpless, telling me to wait.
Suddenly, an unknown number appeared on my phone.
"Mom-" Greg's weak voice came through, piercing my heart like a dagger. "Greg! Are you okay? Why do you sound so weak? Did they hurt you? Hold on, Mommy will save you."
Greg sobbed, "Mom, does Dad not want to save me? Does he not like Greg?"
I was stunned, my heart aching terribly.
I reassured him, "No, Greg, both Dad and Mom love you. Don't worry, Mommy will definitely save you."
But the voice on the other end of the phone grew weaker, and he kept murmuring.
"Mom, I've known for a long time that Dad doesn't like me. He only likes Lily and her son Andrew..."
My heart ached with a heavy sadness as I closed my eyes tightly, and I made a decision while watching the security guard preparing to leave.
I rushed into the hallway as soon as he was gone.
"Stop!"
Ignoring the pursuit and shouts behind me, I sprinted up to the third floor with all my might.
As soon as I pushed open the door, I saw Jeff with a smile on his face, chatting with Lily.
"Jeff!"
Desperate, I rushed in and grabbed his hand.
"Please, save Greg, just this once. I promise you, I'll give you the company and divorce you. Just save Greg, please, he's your son!"
My sudden intrusion threw everyone in the live broadcast room into a panic.
Lily, in her fluster, forgot to turn off the live stream. Jeff's face turned ashen the moment he saw me, and he yanked me up forcefully.
"Rosanna! You did this on purpose, didn't you? Get her out of here!"
His bodyguards dragged me towards the door, and tears clouded my eyes so I couldn't see his face clearly. I couldn't fathom his coldness.
I collapsed at the doorway, but the call was still connected. I could hear my son's weak, tearful voice, "Mom, I don't blame Dad. And I love you."
I shook my head in despair, and just then, a new message arrived on my phone.
"Time's up, you're overdue."
2
The live broadcast ended, and Jeff walked out with a dark expression, looking down at me. I knew his broadcast lasted three hours, the same time we had to save Greg.
"Rosanna, you did this on purpose, didn't you? To get back at me? I've already been with you. What more do you want?"
I glared at him angrily, grabbing his collar. "Jeff! Give me back my son! Why! Why are you so heartless!"
He pushed me away, looking shocked, until a bodyguard picked up a phone and whispered something in his ear.
He froze, staring at me in disbelief.
"How is that possible?"
At this moment, Mr. Griffiths spoke urgently.
"Madam, we've found the location. It's at the factory in the south."
I stood up abruptly, looking at Jeff and Lily behind him.
"Jeff! If anything happens to my son, I won't let you off!"
When I rushed from the company to the rundown factory, it was already crowded. I pushed through the police and the chattering crowd to see a white figure on the ground.
I approached the body on the ground, and when I lifted the white cloth...
Boom-
Something exploded in my mind, and my world collapsed.
"Greg!"
I threw myself onto the cold, small body, holding it tightly.
His once fair arms were now covered in bruises, and there were clear slap marks on his face.
Just this morning, he was holding my hand, sweetly asking for candy.
I held his hand tightly, unwilling to release it, but his cold body constantly reminded me he was gone.
The kidnappers must have tortured him brutally before he died because they didn't get the money.
My heart was a tapestry of hatred and grief.
"Madam..."
Mr. Griffiths turned his head away, unable to bear it.
It turned out that my hot tears had unconsciously dripped down, soaking the white cloth.
"Greg!"
Jeff's breathless shout came from behind me, and I glared at him furiously.
He looked at the cold body on the ground in disbelief.
"Impossible... How could this be... It must be a joke of you."
Ignoring the butler's attempt to stop me, I rushed up and slapped him hard. But the burning pain in my hand was nothing compared to the stabbing pain in my heart.
"Jeff! You're not human. You can hate me, but Greg was your son! Do you know how cruel you were to him? He said you didn't like him, he said you hated him! While he was being tortured, you were flirting with your beloved!"
I pounded his chest, venting everything.
"Give me back Greg! Give him back to me!"
The butler pulled me away as I screamed hoarsely. Jeff stood there, head bowed, still in shock.
"Ah- How could someone die?"
Lily, who had somehow followed us, screamed loudly when she saw the white cloth on the ground.
Before she could finish her sentence, I slapped her hard. She held her face and looked miserable.
"Rosanna!"
Jeff hurried to stop me when he saw I had hit Lily.
"If you are annoyed, come at me! It has nothing to do with her!"
"Nothing to do with her? She knew you had a wife but still invited another woman's husband to celebrate her birthday alone? Jeff! Do you know what people say about you? They say her son is your child!"
He was stunned, not responding, and I slowly retreated, collapsing to the ground, holding Greg's body and crying uncontrollably.
I still remembered Greg's last words before the call ended.
He said, "Mom, why doesn't Dad love me?"
It was all my fault, everything was because of me. I shouldn't have forced it back then.