My stomach churned as I retched over,but nothing came out,only a bitter acid burning my throat.
Ethan Lorrimer,how dare you?She is your own daughter!
Our girl,Emma,was only five.
She had just been hugging my neck this morning,her little voice chirping,“Happy birthday,Mommy!”and begging for the biggest slice of cake.
Now I was shaking so hard I could barely stay on my feet,clutching the wall to keep from falling.It felt like an icy fist was crushing my heart,squeezing the breath out of me.
With trembling fingers,I dialed Ethan again.No connection.I tried again and again.Nothing.
I called his assistant,his driver,yet no one picked up.
And then I realized something.They were all in on it.This had been planned from the start.
Just then,my phone lit up with an unknown number.
Like a drowning woman grasping at a lifeline,I snatched it up,my voice raw and desperate,“Hello?Ethan!What did you do to Emma?Give me back my daughter!”
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.Then,to my shock,Natalie’s voice came through,laced with laughter.
“Oh,Jenna,Jenna Sinclair.Don’t get yourself so worked up.It’s not worth ruining your health.”
Her again.