Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

"Abby!" I yelled, panic setting in as I sprinted after her.

Running in heels? Yeah, not my best idea. I could barely move.

The pedestrian street was packed. I kept shouting Abby's name, my voice cracking, but no one even glanced my way. The guy holding Abby bolted straight for the overpass.

The overpass was under construction and closed off. The workers had all gone home for the holidays, so it was deserted.

A sign on the stairs read: [DANGER. CONSTRUCTION AREA. KEEP OUT.]

Like a maniac, he kicked the sign aside and dashed up.

Worried sick about Abby, I didn't think twice. I followed, but in my rush, I twisted my ankle on the stairs and fell. Gritting my teeth, I got up and hobbled after him. He'd stopped running and was standing in the middle of the overpass, his back to me.

The wind carried Abby's cries to my ears.

"Come any closer, and I'll throw this kid down," he yelled without turning around.

That voice. I froze, fear gripping me as I stared at his back.

"Give her back to me."

He turned around slowly.

When I saw his face, my heart plummeted.

It was him!

"Long time no see! Surprised? Thought I was dead?"

It was Arthur. I never thought I'd see him like this.

He was grinning, but all I felt was a crushing sense of dread.

"Arthur, put the child down."

Arthur burst into laughter. "Emily, you still remember me. Guess I didn't waste all those months thinking about you."

"Arthur, please, give Abby back," I begged, my voice trembling.

Arthur looked down at Abby, who was squirming and crying in his arms, and smiled again. "So, you're doing well. Got yourself a kid now, huh?"

"She's not mine," I blurted out.

"Shut up," he snapped, his smile vanishing.

I realized Arthur wasn't in his right mind.

Swallowing hard, I tried to stay calm for Abby's sake. "Think about it. It's only been a little over six months since you took my child. Even if I got pregnant with Ethan's kid right after, it wouldn't be this big yet." Arthur sneered. "Don't make me do math. My memory's shot. This is your kid, and you can't deny it."

A crowd had started to gather below the overpass, all eyes on us.

Right then, my phone rang.

It was probably Sophie, wondering where we were after she came out of the store.

As I pulled out my phone, Arthur sneered. "Calling for help? Go ahead. Even if I die, I'll take this kid with me. I've lived longer than her anyway. It's worth it."

I quickly said, "No, it's not that. The kid's mom is calling. This really isn't my child."

Keeping my eyes on Arthur, worried he'd hurt Abby, I answered the phone and told Sophie where we were.

I stood at the edge of the overpass and saw Sophie rushing towards us, carrying her stuff.

When she got up to the overpass, I grabbed her and said to Arthur, "She's the mom. This really isn't my kid. If you have any issues, take them out on me. Let the kid go." Sophie caught on fast and dropped her bag, falling to her knees in front of Arthur, crying and begging. "Please, I beg you, let my child go."

Abby, hearing Sophie's voice, cried even harder, reaching out her little hands, wanting her mom.

Despite Abby's heart-wrenching cries and Sophie's pleas, Arthur didn't budge. "Let her go? Sure, Emily, come with me, and I'll let her go. Do you know? I miss you all the time." His words sounded sweet, but his eyes were full of cruel intent.

The revenge in Sunhaven City had been thorough and satisfying.

I knew he wanted to reclaim everything now.

"An eye for an eye" perfectly described how Arthur and I had gone from lovers to enemies.

I took a deep breath and made a decision. "Okay, I'll go with you."

Arthur smiled, satisfied.

"Let Abby go first," I said.

Arthur laughed. "How? This kid can't walk yet, right?"

Then he said seductively, "Come over here, and I'll give you the kid."

I knew it was a trap, but I had no other choice.

Hearing Abby's cries, my heart ached. I just wanted her back in Sophie's arms, safe and sound.

I moved step by step towards the center of the overpass.

The overpass was closed off, so the snow on it was loose. With each step, I sank a little.

"Emily!" a familiar voice suddenly called from behind..

I turned around, surprised, and saw Ethan walking towards the overpass.

He was wearing a mid-length cashmere coat, unbuttoned, with a cigarette in his hand. The smoke drifted in the wind as he walked slowly and steadily. "Ethan!" I ran to him like he was my lifeline, grabbing his arm. "Ethan, save Abby. Please, save her."

Ethan gently patted my back and said, "Don't worry."

Then he calmly looked over at Arthur.

The moment Arthur saw Ethan, his eyes filled with rage, but then he burst into laughter. "Save her? Go ahead, save her."

As he spoke, he grabbed the back of Abby's clothes and dangled her over the edge of the overpass with one hand.

Sophie screamed in terror, and even the crowd below started freaking out.

My heart was in my throat.

"Arthur, don't do anything rash. Think about the consequences. What you're doing is murder, and you'll go to prison."

"Prison?" Arthur sneered, "What's so bad about prison? Do you know what kind of life I've been living these past few months? I'd rather be in prison."

Ethan stared at Arthur, his expression unchanged. "Arthur, your grudge is with me. You want revenge on me. Let the innocent go."

Arthur looked at Ethan with a mix of pride and madness.

"Alright, I'll let the kid go. But you have to take off your pants and lie down obediently. I want everyone to see how I fuck mighty CEO of Skyline International Corporation being humiliated by me." It was clear he still held a grudge over what happened in Sunhaven City.

I tightened my grip on Ethan's hand.

Ethan squeezed my hand back, took a slow drag of his cigarette, and as he exhaled the smoke, he suddenly chuckled. "You? After being with men, do you even have the ability to get it up?" Ethan's taunt was like pouring gasoline on a fire.

Arthur started shaking with rage, glaring at Ethan. "Ethan! What did you say?"

The sound of sirens filled the air, and police cars stopped below the overpass. In no time, two groups of officers approached from both sides of the overpass.

The group coming from our side was led by a captain, who called out to Arthur, trying to persuade him. "Young man, the child is innocent. Before things get worse, put her down. If anything happens to the child, you won't escape the law." Arthur shouted, "Don't come any closer. If anyone takes another step, I'll throw the child down."

Facing the police on both sides, Arthur's emotions became even more unstable. Abby was crying and struggling in his grip, looking like she could fall at any moment, making the scene even more terrifying.

"Alright, we won't. We can talk about this. There's no need to be so extreme. Whatever you need, we can try to meet your demands, okay?" the captain continued negotiating.

Arthur remained silent and motionless, warily glancing around to ensure no one was sneaking up on him.

Another officer asked us some basic information about Arthur and then went to discuss it with the captain.

The captain then said to Arthur, "I heard you were once an excellent obstetrician. Doctors have a compassionate heart, saving lives, which is very noble. I've always admired doctors. Your hands are meant to welcome new life, not destroy it. Calm down, okay? Think about the countless lives you've brought into this world. Look at the child in your hands. She's crying so pitifully. Let her go, please."

I thought, 'Compassion? Nobility? Arthur had lost all compassion when he forcibly took my child.'

The captain continued. "I know you have elderly parents, and you're their only child. Think about them. If you make a big mistake, what will happen to them? Who will take care of them?"

Mentioning his parents caused a slight change in Arthur's expression, and his eyes became confused.

The captain said, "Don't worry. We won't come closer. But you must be tired of holding her, right? Your mother is sick and in Grace Hospital. Our colleagues have gone to bring her here. You'll see her soon. You just got back from a long trip and haven't seen her yet, right? A mother always worries about her child. She's been thinking about you."

On the overpass, Abby was crying, and the captain was patiently persuading.

Arthur was finally moved. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he slowly brought his hand back and held Abby in his arms.

Everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Arthur looked down at Abby in his arms, and suddenly, his emotions became agitated again.

"No, I can't face them anymore. I've been living a hellish life, and you have children. How can I let you be happy? I can't stand it."

My heart, which had just relaxed a bit, tightened again.

Arthur, holding Abby, started muttering to himself, looking like he could go mad at any moment.

Suddenly, Dennis appeared on the overpass, threw a brick at Arthur, hitting him in the back. Arthur lurched forward, and Abby was thrown into the air, starting to fall off the overpass as the crowd gasped.