His Heartless Plan, Her Bitter End

didn't look back. I just needed to get away, to put distance between myself and the monstrous truth

sh voice yelled

sn't

ng by the main entrance. They had crowbars. They weren't with David and Emily; they were

taller man said, stepping toward me. "

gly sound. "Give us your phone

ice called my name. "Sarah? Honey, I brought

mot

al flask. Her face, etched with concern, turned to co

t!" I screamed.

ard her. I moved without thinking, putting myself

hould have just stayed quiet," he snarled in my ear. He threw me to the ground. M

my mother

olently. She was small and frail. The push sent her staggering backward. Her head hit the corner

as a raw scream t

who had hurt her, but his partner caught me, twisting my arm behind my back. H

w two figures inside. A man and a woman. David and Emily. They were watching. They saw the masked men, they saw me being manhandled, they saw my mother lying m

e last shred of hope that any part of him was a good man, the man

riends are leaving you." He shoved my face again

ing from the wall. "This is taking too long," h

thief backhanded me across the face. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. "Useless," he spat. They ransa

d think about was my mother. I crawled, inch by agonizing inch, back into the main hall. She was still there,

was already starting to feel cool. I pulled out my phone, my bloody fingers smudging the screen a

l bed. The harsh fluorescent lights burne

the head, Sarah," she said

window, his head in his hands. He looked up, his fac

n hand trembling for effect. "I was so worried. I called and called, and when you di

efully crafted expression of a loving, terrified husband. And I felt no