Victor stood frozen in place.
His lips twitched as he tried to force a stiff, strained smile.
"...Condolences? What condolences? My son is perfectly fine. Don't talk nonsense."
Officer Clark sighed. Although he found it cruel, he played the video for Victor, the father of the deceased.
This video was even more complete than the one Chloe had sent to Julia.
The moment he saw Ethan, Victor’s pupils contracted sharply.
The familiar angle and footage instantly reminded him of the day he had saved Chloe, when she had shown him a video in the car.
An overwhelming sense of unease and panic surged through him.
In the video, when the kidnappers threw Ethan—his body corroded by acid—to the ground, the pain jolted him awake.
He stretched out small, blood-red hands that looked skinned raw, cr
