The Substitute Bride

"Don't yell. Don't yell at the kid. We believe you." The kidnapper's booming voice scared Sheryl. She worried that he might truly do something to hurt Shirley, so she said that anxiously, in an attempt to calm him down.

"Okay, I will stop yelling at her," the kidnapper replied. He then smiled viciously at Shirley, like a demon. He stared at her like a lion staring at his prey, which made Shirley shiver.

"Your parents are listening from the other end of the line. Don't you want to say hi to them? Ah, what do they call you? Shirley, is that right?" the kidnapper whispered in Shirley's ear, scaring her.

After Shirley knew that her parents could hear her, her fear finally burst out. Tears fell down her cheeks endlessly.

"Mommy, Daddy, please come and save me. I am so scared! It's so dark here and there is a…" The kidnapper didn't let Shirley finish. "Enough! Shut the fuck up!" he interrupted.

When Charles and Sheryl heard Shirley's familiar sweet voice, their eyes welled up immediately.

"Don't worry, Shirley. We are coming to save you." Charles sobbed.

Sheryl sighed in relief when she heard Shirley. At least, her daughter was still alive. Sheryl lost all her strength and leaned on Charles' shoulder. She bit his clothes and dared not to make any sound, afraid that she would piss the kidnapper off.

"So, Mr. and Mrs. Lu, do you believe me now? Your dear little princess is with me," the kidnapper said, a broader smile on his face.

"We believe you. Please don't hurt our kid. No matter what you ask for, we will meet your requirements. We promise we will do whatever you ask us to do," Charles said anxiously. His back was now soaked in sweat. It wasn't a business negotiation. He could always start over if he lost a business negotiation.

. Before that day, please don't be scared, okay? And please stop crying. Remember we are with you all the time. When you come home, Daddy and Mommy will give you a big surprise, okay?" Charles tried his best to comfort his daughter. He didn't want Shirley to be traumatized. He only wanted her to be happy forever. She was so young, her little angel. He would try his best to keep all the darkness and evil in the world away from her.

"Okay. I will wait for Daddy and Mommy to come and pick me up. I miss all of you. I miss Clark too." Shirley held back her tears and sobbed, trying her best to be strong.

Sheryl's heart broke into pieces when she heard Shirley's cry. Shirley had always been the optimistic one. Her smile was like a sunflower brightening their days. She kept bringing happiness to people around her. She had never heard her cry this hard.

How Sheryl wished she was the one who got kidnapped. She wanted to take the bullet for her daughter. She didn't want Shirley to go through all this.

But just as Sheryl was about to say something to Shirley, the kidnapper hung up the phone abruptly.

Sheryl was startled and shocked. She stood frozen and speechless.