A psychiatric patient from Rockville had escaped, kidnapping every child from my daughter’s kindergarten.

My husband, the chief negotiator, promised me again and again before stepping inside that he would save our daughter no matter what.

I waited outside, trembling with anxiety for three endless hours, only to see him emerge carrying his first love’s daughter in his arms.

“The negotiation failed. I only had time to save Cassidy’s daughter…” he said breathlessly, before rushing toward the hospital without sparing me another glance.

A deafening explosion ripped through the kindergarten. My daughter was blown to pieces, not even a whole body left behind.

I screamed and stumbled forward, only to be crushed beneath a collapsing wall that shattered my spine and stole my last breath.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back at the moment before the negotiation.

Aidan Lewis swore again and again that he would definitely save our daughter.

I slapped him across the face and dialed my mercenary brother, Samson Sullivan. “Brother, I agree to divorce Aidan, but right now your niece needs you!”

——

“Kendall, what kind of nonsense are you talking?!”

Aidan held his stinging cheek, eyes dark with fury, and struck my phone to the ground.

“I already told you I’ll save our daughter. What more do you want from me?!”

“Even now, you’re still jealous, still clinging to pettiness?”

“Cassidy is part of our negotiation team. Without her, none of this can move forward!” Aidan’s tone was sharp, his expression growing colder.

My hands clenched tight, and just as I opened my mouth, Cassidy Jimenez walked over, her tight skirt swaying with each step.

“Kendall, this isn’t the time for jealousy. Thirty-six children are trapped inside that kindergarten, waiting for us!”

“Look at those parents outside, do you think it’s right to argue with Team Leader Aidan at a time like this?!”

With faint disdain glimmering in her eyes, Cassidy bent down carelessly, the movement exposing a hickey on her neck.

“Kendall, my daughter is in there too. I hope you can trust in our team’s ability.”

“We have enough experience. We will definitely save all the children!”

The moment I saw that hickey, nausea surged in my chest.

In my previous life, I had already received photos and videos of her and Aidan in indecent acts, and I had prepared the divorce papers.

But before I could hand them to him, news of the kindergarten incident broke.

Back then, I swallowed my pain and begged Aidan to save our daughter.

Even when the news came that some of the children had been killed, I knelt before Cassidy and pleaded with her.

I begged her to save my daughter, even promising that I would let her and Aidan be together.

Her response was a cold sneer.

“Who needs your permission?”

“Team Leader Aidan has always been mine. For the past few years, you’ve only been keeping him warm in bed for me!”

Disgusting memories flooded my mind. I stepped forward and slapped her across the face.

“Get out!”

“I don’t agree to you joining the negotiation!”

“I demand a different team!”

After shouting, I bent down to pick up my phone, only to see that the call had already been cut off.

As I tried to dial again, someone seized my hand tightly.

“Kendall, you’ve gone too far this time!”

“Apologize to Cassidy immediately!”

My wrist was gripped so hard it flushed red. The pain stung my eyes with tears, but I refused to back down.

In my previous life, before my daughter was blown apart in the kindergarten, she had called me once.

Her voice was trembling, cautious, filled with fear.

“Mom, the bad man lit the explosives. He said we’re all going to heaven.”

“Mom, he told Dad to choose which child to save, but he didn’t choose me…”

“Is it because I wasn’t good that Dad doesn’t like me?”

That voice, I could never forget it, even after death.

She was just a small child, yet because Aidan didn’t choose her, she blamed herself.

This time, I vowed I would never let my daughter suffer again!

My whole body was taut with determination, yet I refused to step back.

I dialed my brother’s number once more.

“Brother, I’ve already switched on the phone’s location. Did you find the address?”

When I had started dating Aidan, my brother had stood firmly against it.

To stay by Aidan’s side, I had forged a false identity, claiming I was an orphan who had followed him to Rockville.

Six long years had passed, and I knew my brother had been secretly searching for me all along.

The largest international mercenary organization had circulated my information for years, with every useful lead worth a million.

In my previous life, before my final breath, I had called my brother, weeping with regret.

His voice had turned hoarse, asking me over and over again where I was.

Before my eyes closed forever, that iron-blooded man had broken down in tears, blaming himself for not protecting me.

Tears slid down my cheeks, and choking back sobs, I spoke into the phone.

“Brother, I regret it… please save my daughter…”

Before I could finish, my phone was taken away again.

“Kendall, are you crazy?!”

“You’re an orphan, where would you get a brother?!”

Aidan’s bloodshot eyes glared at me as he pinned me hard against the wall.

Behind him, Cassidy’s best friend suddenly spoke up.

“Team Leader Aidan, never mind for now that Cassidy was slapped, but Kendall has gone too far!”

“Team Leader Aidan, you’re the top negotiator in the country, yet Kendall refuses to believe you, and instead places her faith in an outsider.”

With every word, Aidan’s face darkened further. He pressed my head down, forcing me to look at the drone video.

“Kendall, open your eyes and look carefully!”

“Your daughter was kidnapped by a lunatic, and he has explosives. Every second you delay is holding back the rescue operation!”

“Do you want to get your daughter killed?!”

On the drone’s feed, the madman had locked all the children inside a classroom. His eyes burned with madness, and crude explosives filled the room.

In the corner, I spotted my daughter at once. She trembled in fear, clutching the Superman doll Aidan had given her.

Remembering how Aidan had abandoned her in my previous life, remembering her body torn apart in that explosion, I clenched my teeth and refused to agree.

“I’ve already asked for recusal. You’re Melanie’s father, you shouldn’t be part of this negotiation!”

After saying that, I pointed at Cassidy and shouted.

“Her daughter is also in the kindergarten. I don’t trust you!”

“I don’t believe you can save the children! I don’t believe you can save Melanie!”

The moment my roar left my lips, something struck my head hard.

“So it’s you who won’t let the negotiator in?!”

“Do you want my grandson to die?!”

“I’ll smash you to death, you little bitch!”

A woman with a fleshy face charged at me, a brick raised high, her expression twisted with rage.

Blood streamed down my forehead, blurring my sight. My vision dimmed, and my legs nearly gave way.

At my ear came Cassidy’s soft, apologetic voice.

“Team Leader Aidan, I really couldn’t stop these parents. They didn’t mean any harm… It’s only because Kendall kept blocking the negotiation and rescue.”

“I’m truly worried about my daughter. Kendall, please, set aside your jealousy and allow Team Leader Aidan to go in and negotiate!”

“If you’re still uneasy, then I’ll stay out, let only Team Leader Aidan and the others go!”

Then, with a sharp bang, Cassidy suddenly fell to her knees.

“Kendall, I beg you, stop blocking our negotiation!”

“My daughter’s heart is weak; she can’t withstand this kind of shock!”

Cassidy wept pitifully, her forehead swollen red from a knock.

I ignored her, bent down, and picked up my phone. A message from my brother lit the screen.

[Kendall, I’ve arranged top-tier mercenaries and a private jet. Please wait for me!]

The panic in my chest eased slightly, and I turned off the phone.

Aidan, however, struck me hard across the face.

“Put restraints on her!”

“Tie Kendall up, we’re going in to negotiate now!”

The restraints clamped tightly around my hands and feet. I struggled with all my strength, panic surging once more in my chest.

In my previous life, I hadn’t known why Aidan failed the negotiation.

But I knew in the end, he had saved only Cassidy’s daughter.

“Aidan, let me go!”

“I don’t trust you!”

“You’ll doom our daughter! You’ll fail the negotiation and get all the children killed!”

I shouted harshly, my hands and feet rubbed raw, bleeding from the struggle.

Aidan’s expression was dark, yet his voice brimmed with confidence.

“Kendall, I will definitely save our daughter. Just wait here.”

With those words, he turned and left, a bulletproof vest strapped to his chest.

Cassidy followed close behind, throwing me a proud, mocking smile before the door slammed shut.

My eyelids twitched violently as I writhed on the ground. No matter how I fought, the restraints cut deep, leaving me helpless.

Minutes dragged by. Sweat drenched my body, and my heart pounded like a drum in my chest.

Then suddenly, my phone rang.

“Mom?”

“Mom, I saw Dad!”

“Is Dad here to save me?”

Her soft, fragile voice flowed through the line.

“Mom, the bad man took away all our phone watches, but I hid mine secretly. He doesn’t know.”

“Mom, am I really smart?”

Hearing my daughter’s tender, childish voice, tears streamed down my face.

“Melanie, don’t let the bad man find out. Go hide in the corner, stay away from those explosives!”

I tried to comfort her, but fear consumed my mind.

Suddenly, silence fell on the other end. Then came the sound of children crying.

“Melanie?!”

“Melanie, what’s happening over there?!”

My chest felt as if it would burst open as I screamed in panic.

After what felt like an eternity, my daughter’s trembling voice returned.

“Mom, a kid got strangled to death by the bad man.”

“It was Auntie Cassidy’s daughter, Lyra. She said the bad man was crazy, a rapist, and then he suddenly went mad.”

“Mom, Dad is talking to him. He said he wants Lyra…”

“Why doesn’t Dad want me?”

Her innocent, naïve question left me speechless.

Ever since Cassidy’s daughter transferred into the kindergarten, Aidan had changed.

During the kindergarten sports day, he left me and our daughter behind to stay by Cassidy and her child’s side.

When the children at the kindergarten all caught the flu, he even took leave to be with Cassidy and her child.

I had argued with him, demanded answers, yet Aidan always spoke with the same calm tone.

“Cassidy and her daughter are alone in Rockville, with no relatives. It’s my duty to help them.”

Those words haunted me, echoing in my mind. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to stand.

“Melanie, don’t be afraid. Uncle is on his way to save you…” I whispered softly to comfort her.

Just then, the door was flung open.

“It’s her! She’s the one who ruined the negotiation rescue, she’s the reason your children died!”

Cassidy’s best friend pointed straight at me, accusing.

In an instant, several people rushed in, their faces wet with tears.

“Bitch! You murdered my son!”

“Why don’t you go die?!”

“You’ll pay with your life!”