Chapter 4

I immediately opened my phone app and called the police over to check with me.

In my panic earlier, I'd completely forgotten that we had a backup camera installed at the rear.

The surveillance video from this camera could be stored for seven days.

With trembling hands, I pulled up the surveillance footage, then froze in place.

Several large words appeared on the screen.

[Surveillance Signal Error]

I frantically scrolled the timeline back.

The last frame the surveillance showed was from this morning, right before we left—Catherine's hand reaching toward it.

After that, the video went completely black.

It was her again! She destroyed the surveillance!

The hope that had barely ignited was extinguished once more.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed tight by a giant hand.

I went completely mad, screaming uncontrollably.

"What exactly do you want? Are you trying to kill Lily?"

"If anything happens to Lily, I'll make sure you don't die in peace either!"

After hearing this, Catherine actually started crying first, covering her mouth.

"At my age, how would I know anything about cameras? I just accidentally broke it when I opened the trunk. Do you have to be like this?"

"Besides, she's not a three-year-old child. She's in fourth grade. Doesn't she know not to run around?"

"And honestly, this child doesn't even look like Ryan. For all we know, she's run off somewhere to find her real father."

My teeth ground together audibly, the rage in my heart becoming harder and harder to suppress.

Just as I raised my hand, ready to slap her across the face, my phone suddenly buzzed with a message.

After reading it, I lowered my arm and looked at Catherine with a smile.

"Catherine, I'm so sorry. I got carried away just now."

"You're right. If the child ran off, she ran off. If we can't find her, we'll just have another one."

"Let's go home first."

Catherine looked me up and down suspiciously. Only when she saw me actually get in the car did she climb in too.

Seeing me calmly start the engine, she finally let her guard down.

"That's more like it. It's normal to play jokes on April Fool's Day. Why take it so seriously?"

"That ungrateful little brat ran off on her own. It's her own fault."

I said nothing, my grip on the steering wheel tightening, my foot pressing harder on the gas pedal.

The car's speed climbed higher and higher.

After reaching our destination, I opened the door and let her out.

Catherine climbed out, holding her dizzy head, then froze in shock.

"Why did you bring me here? Are you insane?"

I calmly pulled out my phone.

"How long are you going to keep up this act?"

When Catherine saw clearly what was on my phone screen...

Her face turned deathly pale.