Chapter 5
Emily burst through the heavy glass patio doors, her breath catching in her throat. The outdoor space was vast and beautiful, illuminated by the same bright, natural cinematic lighting that bathed the rest of the estate. The fair, rosy stone of the patio gleamed under the afternoon sun, completely free of any yellow tint. The pristine landscaping was a stark contrast to the absolute horror that awaited her.
She rushed past the outdoor seating area, her eyes frantically scanning the sprawling lawn. Then, she heard the metal scraping again. She turned her head toward the far corner of the patio, near a large, ornate wooden doghouse.
Emily stopped dead in her tracks. Her entire world shattered.
Beside the doghouse, sitting on the cold stone ground, was her six-year-old son. Ethan was horrifyingly thin, his fair, rosy skin covered in dirt and grime. He was wearing torn, filthy clothes—an oversized, stained T-shirt, faded shorts that hung loosely on his frail frame, and worn, battered sneakers. But the most terrifying sight was the heavy metal chain wrapped securely around his ankle, attached by a thick padlock to a steel yard stake driven deep into the ground.
Resting on the stone a few inches from his trembling hand was a dry, moldy piece of bread, lying pathetically beside a dirty plastic dog bowl.
"Ethan!" Emily screamed, the sound tearing from her throat with pure, agonizing despair.
She ran across the patio, dropping to her knees on the hard stone without a second thought for her tailored dark suit. She reached out, her hands shaking violently as she hovered over her chained son, terrified that touching him might break him.
Ethan looked up. His bright blue eyes were wide with a mixture of profound terror and disbelief. He flinched away from her initially, conditioned by months of horrific abuse, his small hands pulling the oversized T-shirt defensively around his thin shoulders.
"Ethan, baby, it's me. It's Mommy," Emily sobbed, tears spilling freely down her face, ruining her immaculate composure.
Ethan stared at her, his bottom lip quivering. The heavy metal chain rattled as he shifted his weight. He looked at her tailored suit, her clean face, and the desperate love burning in her eyes.
“Mom…" Ethan whispered. His voice was a terrified, fragile sound that broke Emily's heart into a million irreparable pieces. "…are you really staying this time?”
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"I am never leaving you again," Emily swore, pulling him into a fierce, desperate embrace, burying her face in his filthy, matted hair. "I swear to God, I am never leaving you. I am going to kill them. I am going to kill all of them."
She pulled back, her eyes locking onto the heavy steel chain biting into his small ankle. The mother vanished, replaced entirely by the most dangerous Mafia boss on the continent.
