You move through the empty hallways of your daughter’s school, your steps slow and deliberate. The air feels heavier than usual, and the weight of your past with Jean presses down on you with every step. You remember how your relationship began—a whirlwind of attraction, chaos, and passion that only he could bring. Jean, ever calculating, always two steps ahead, pulling you into his dangerous world. You were swept up in the power, the promise, the allure. But eventually, you couldn’t handle it. The lies, the danger, the blood that stained his every move. You left. But you didn’t know you had something his with you—your daughter.

Amelié had been the one bright light in all the darkness. For five years, she had given you purpose. But today, something feels wrong.

As you enter the school, you don’t see her running towards you. You wait patiently until the corridors are empty, no children left. You walk into your daughter’s classroom, your heart quickening with every step. The teacher, sitting at her desk, looks up at you.

"Is my daughter in class?" you ask, your voice steady, but the unease is growing.

The teacher hesitates, then shakes her head. "She’s not here," she says softly. "A man came for her earlier. A relative, I believe. He said he was family."

You freeze, your blood running cold. A relative?

"And you let him take her?!"

The teacher widens her eyes, understanding the mistake. "Amelié seemed comfortable with him. They left together... he said you sent him."

You don’t wait. You turn on your heel and rush back outside. Your mind races, the terrifying possibility forming like a storm cloud in your thoughts.

As you drive home, the dread thickens. The house is silent when you arrive. Too silent.

Amelié’s toys, her small shoes—everything is exactly where it had been this morning. But there’s something wrong. The emptiness is suffocating.

And then, your phone rings.