“What’s happening here?” Daniel roared, rushing forward.
“She’s locked in! She can’t breathe!” Elena cried, her hands bleeding.
Daniel’s face drained of color. He slammed his palms against the glass. “Sophie! Daddy’s here! Hold on!” But the door wouldn’t budge.
“Where are the keys?” he demanded.
Elena’s voice shook. “Claudia… she took them. She never came back.”
Daniel froze, the meaning sinking in. His wife hadn’t forgotten—she had left his daughter inside on purpose. His fists clenched, fury and terror mixing in his chest.
At that moment, Elena bent down, picked up a jagged rock from the garden. Raising it high, she shouted, “Forgive me, sir, but this is the only way!”
And with a scream, she brought it down against the window.
Crack!
Blood sprayed from her hand as the glass fractured.
Crack!
The pane spiderwebbed.
Crack!
The window shattered, pieces falling to the driveway as Sophie collapsed forward. Elena reached inside, unlocking the door and dragging the child into her arms.
Continued on next page:
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