She took a breath,like she had been holding this in for a long time and her voice climbed.
“And your daughter…that little girl cries so much.But it doesn’t matter.She’ll suffer plenty.Those old men in the mountains won’t mind the noise.Feed her,give her a roof and she’ll be married off.Hahaha.”
“Natalie,you’ll pay for this!”I screamed in despair,tears streaming down my face.
“Give me back my daughter!Give Emma back to me!Ethan!Ethan,you bastard!Talk to me!She’s your daughter!”
I cried and shouted into the phone until my voice went raw.
Then suddenly,another voice came through—it was Ethan.
He sounded impatient,his tone rough,as if he had just woken up.“Jenna,haven’t you had enough?What are you yelling about in the middle of the night?”
“Ethan!”
My chest tightened.I clung to the chance to ask him like a drowning woman grabbing a rotten branch,even though I knew it was hopeless.
“Where’s Emma?Where’s our daughter?Is what Natalie said true?What did you do with her?”
There was a pause.Then I heard Natalie’s soft,whiny voice beside him.“Honey,she’s being so cruel to me.I’m scared…”
Ethan’s voice immediately softened for her.“Don’t be afraid,sweetheart.I’m here.”