The morning sunlight crawled lazily across the kitchen tiles, warming the cold floor under my feet. I'd been up since dawn—habit, I suppose. Years in the force had trained my body to wake before the sun, no matter how much I begged it for a few more hours of sleep.
The kettle hummed softly. The smell of toasted bread filled the air. Outside, the city was still caught between sleep and awakening; quiet, hesitant, peaceful.
A yawn echoed behind me.
"Good morning, Auntie…" Liz's voice was small and rough, the kind of voice that still carried dreams.
I smiled before I even turned to her. She stood rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, her pajama top twisted, her hair sticking up like a startled bird.
"Good morning, Liz," I replied. "Did you know it's already midday? Were you planning on hibernating until tomorrow?"
She blinked at me, confused, then let out a tiny giggle.
"I'm still sleepy…"
"I can see that," I said, tapping her back gently. "Brush your teeth. Breakfast is ready."
With a burst of energy that contradicted her sleepy tone, she ran off.
"It's my day off! I can sleep forever if I want!" she called, making me shake my head, smiling despite myself.
When she returned, she noticed the scattered papers on the dining table. She squinted at them, then at me.
"Auntie… what's all that?"
"My CV," I said, flipping another page without lifting my head.
She sat, legs swinging under the chair, cereal bowl in hand. The spoon clinked against the bowl with every slow bite. Silence stretched for a moment before she spoke again.
"Isn't a CV for job searching?"
She frowned. "But you already have a job…"
Her voice wasn't accusing. Just curious. Innocent.
I gathered the papers, stacking them neatly. "It's nothing you need to worry about."
She watched me for a few seconds before nodding slowly and returning to her breakfast.
"Tell me what you want for dinner," I said, brushing my hand over her hair. "Anything."
Her face lit up like a lantern.
"Anything?" she repeated, almost breathless.
"Yes," I said. Though something deep inside me whispered that I might regret it.
"I want a HUGE pizza! With extra cheese and meat! And a giant soda! And after dinner… ICE CREAM!"
She practically vibrated with excitement.
I winced. "Liz… that's very unhealthy. I wanted to cook something proper."
Her eyes widened. She clasped her hands dramatically under her chin.
"Please? Just today? I love your cooking, but today… please Auntie…"
She looked like a shivering puppy. A very manipulative shivering puppy.
I sighed. "Fine. But this is the last time."
She pressed her lips together trying not to laugh. "No promises!"
We spent the rest of the day lounging like lazy cats—movies, snacks, random conversations, laughter echoing through the living room.
I didn't know it then… but that was the last peaceful day I'd ever have.
The next morning, the familiar smell of coffee in the police station greeted me. The chatter of officers, the ringing phones, the hurried footsteps—it should've felt like home.
But something inside me had already changed.
"Alex," my boss called from behind his desk. "I heard a rumor. Are you quitting?"
I stopped, hands in my pockets, and forced a smile.
"Good morning, boss. And… yes. It's true."
His expression softened. "May I know why?"
Before I could answer, Jess barged in—her timing impeccable as always.
"You're quitting?!" she snapped. "WHY? Since when? And why didn't you tell me?!"
Her hands clutched my collar before I could react. Her eyes burned with betrayal and panic.
"After everything you've done to get here… this job was your dream, Alex."
"I know," I whispered. "It was. But dreams change when responsibilities change. If something happens to me… who takes care of Liz? I'm all she has."
Jess's grip slowly loosened. She stepped back, jaw tight.
"So what will you do?" she asked.
"I've sent my résumé to several companies. When I hear back, I'll resign."
Jess's voice died. She stared at the floor, glancing at me only once—her eyes glossy.
My boss exhaled loudly. "You're talented. Losing you is our loss. But whatever you choose… you're always welcome here."
"Thank you."
I turned to Jess. "I didn't hide it from you because I don't trust you. I just… needed time to accept it myself. Are you still angry? I'll buy you something delicious today."
She sniffed. "I'm not angry. Just sad. Things won't be the same."
I nudged her shoulder. "We can still meet. Weekends exist for a reason."
She folded her arms, muttering, "…okay."
But somehow, deep inside me, I felt the first ripple of dread.
"Auntie, I have a math exam today," Liz said the next morning as I drove her to school. "I might stay a bit late."
"That's fine," I replied. "Just call me when you're done."
"I will!" She hopped out and waved. "Bye-bye, Auntie!"
She disappeared through the school gates.
Hours passed.
Too many hours.
I stared at my phone, calling her again. And again. And again.
Nothing.
"Alex," Jess said, approaching me in the break room, "why the frown?"
"It's Liz…"
I swallowed hard. "She's not answering. She always answers."
Jess tried to soothe me. "She's a kid. Maybe talking to friends."
But my chest tightened. A cold, heavy feeling sank into my stomach.
"She wouldn't ignore me this long," I whispered.
I grabbed my coat and stood. "I'm going to the school."
My phone rang.
Relief shot through me so sharply it hurt.
"Liz? Where are you? I—"
"Well, hello Detective Alex," a woman's voice purred.
My blood froze.
"Who is this? Where's Liz?! PUT HER ON THE PHONE!"
The woman laughed. Cold. Sharp. Cruel.
"She's safe. For now. If you want to see her alive, come alone."
"What do you want?!"
"You'll know… when you arrive."
And she hung up.
Jess rushed to me. "Alex?! What happened??"
"They took her," I whispered. "Jess… they kidnapped Liz."
Jess's breath hitched. "Tell me the address."
"I'll send it. Bring backup. Quietly. No sirens."
I sprinted out into the freezing air.
I sent her the address and ran out of the station.
The winter wind stabbed like knives. Snow swallowed the roads, but I didn't care. I drove faster than I ever had, arriving within fifteen breathless minutes at an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city.
Inside, the silence was suffocating.
First floor: empty.
Second floor: empty.
Third floor—
A room full of gang members.
And at the center:
A woman in her early fifties, sitting calmly in a chair, a cigarette burning between two elegant fingers. Behind her, a large shape draped in black cloth loomed like a silent monster.
When she saw me, she grinned.
"Well, well, well… look what the snow dragged in."
She gestured lazily.
Two men seized my arms from behind before I could react. My gun was taken. My wrists were shackled to a metal loop on the wall.
"Just insurance," she said lightly. "We don't want you being… difficult."
I locked eyes with her. "Where is Liz?"
She tilted her head. "Show her."
A man walked behind her and yanked the black cloth away.
My heart stopped.
Liz was inside a glass tank.
Curled on her side. Barefoot. Pale.
Unmoving.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" I roared. "IF YOU HURT HER—I SWEAR—"
The woman only laughed.
"You're in no position to make threats, detective."
She flicked her hand again.
Another man approached the tank… and opened a valve.
Water rushed in.
Cold. Merciless.
When the icy water touched Liz's bare legs, she jolted awake, eyes wide with fear. She looked around wildly—until she saw me.
"Auntie…" her voice cracked, barely audible through the glass. "Please… get me out. I want to go home…"
My soul shattered.
"You're going home," I said, voice shaking violently. "I promise."
The woman smirked. "Empty promises. How poetic."
"Why are you doing this?" I demanded. "Who ARE you?!"
She said a name like a knife: "Daniel Smith."
Silence crushed me.
Then I whispered, "…Victoria?"
She smirked. "Smart girl. Yes. I heard you were the one who arrested my little brother."
She stepped toward me slowly, dragging a dagger along her fingertips.
"My brother died two days after entering prison. Murdered. I know you didn't kill him. But you're the reason he's dead ،
His blood is on your hands."
Her voice turned to ice. "You took someone precious from me. So now… I take someone precious from you."
She leaned in. "If you want to save her, get on your knees and beg."
I didn't even think.
I dropped to my knees instantly.
"No, please," I begged, my voice broken. "She's only ten. Take me instead. Torture me. Kill me. I won't resist."
"Oh?" she said softly. "You won't resist? Let's test that."
She pressed the blade to my skin.
Pain exploded through my face as she sliced from my jaw to my cheek—twice—one cut deep, the other long and thin.
Blood dripped down my chin.
I didn't even flinch.
My eyes were glued to Liz, whose water had reached her chest.
Then Victoria carved another cut, from between my eyebrows to beneath my eye.
"You're very obedient, detective. How boring."
She turned away.
I struggled to rise—two men slammed me down again, my cheek grinding against the floor.
"PLEASE!" I screamed. "Kill me instead!"
The water rose to Liz's neck.
She tried to stand but slipped. Her hands pounded the glass.
My heart was breaking in real time.
"Please… please don't do this. I'm begging you—kill me instead!"
My voice tore out of my throat, raw and broken, echoing off the concrete walls.
I turned my head toward Liz.
The water in the tank had climbed all the way to her neck.
My heart slammed so violently against my ribs I thought it would break through.
I had to save her. I had to. Because if I didn't—
I couldn't even finish the thought. My mind refused to form the image.
My face was bleeding freely, warm streams of blood trickling down my chin and dripping to the cold floor, but I didn't care. The pain didn't exist—not compared to the terror in front of me. I screamed and begged and pleaded until my voice cracked, but nothing mattered. Nothing reached the woman in front of me.
Victoria looked at me with a smile carved from pure malice.
"Killing you would be boring," she said lightly, as if chatting about the weather. "Too easy. I want you to suffer. I want you to drown in guilt for the rest of your life. I want this moment branded in your mind forever."
She leaned in, her eyes glittering. "She dies because of you, Alex. Not me. You should've never interfered with us… and now you'll pay the price."
I choked on my breath. "Please—PLEASE—"
After what felt like an eternity of my struggling and begging, she finally stretched lazily and turned to her men.
"Come on, boys," she said in a bored tone. "It's time to leave."
She walked past me, then paused at the door.
Turning back with a smirk that made my stomach twist, she whispered,
"Now we're even."
Even?
There was no "even" in this hell she created.
I whipped my head toward Liz again just in time to see the water rise above her head.
"No—no no no—" My voice cracked. "That's impossible. She can't—she can't die. She CAN'T!"
She was holding her breath, her tiny hands slamming against the inside of the glass, frantic and terrified. Her palms were so small—so helpless.
My right wrist was cuffed to a chain bolted to the wall.
I yanked.
Metal bit deep into my skin, slicing straight through flesh. Warm blood poured down my arm. I pulled again—harder—ignoring the sharp tearing sensation, ignoring everything but her.
"I'm coming," I whispered. "Liz, I'm coming—hold on—"
With a final brutal wrench, the chain snapped.
Pain exploded through my wrist, but I barely registered it.
I sprinted to the tank, grabbed the chair Victoria had been sitting on, and smashed it into the glass.
The chair shattered into worthless splinters.
The tank didn't break—only a pathetic hairline crack marked its surface.
"No…"
I spun around the room searching for anything—ANYTHING—to break the glass. But it was just an empty room of concrete and dust. Nothing heavy. Nothing sharp. Nothing—
I turned back to Liz.
She wasn't moving.
My heart stopped.
"LIZ!"
I slammed my bloody fist against the tank.
Once. Twice. Three times.
My knuckles split open deeper, blood smeared across the glass.
"Please, Liz—don't give up—don't close your eyes—"
Four. Five. Six.
I screamed her name, tears mixing with blood.
Seven.
On the eighth strike—
A deep, bone-shaking crack ripped across the surface.
The glass exploded outward.
A wave of icy water crashed into me, knocking me back.
I stumbled but caught her as the water released her limp body.
"No no no—Liz—baby—no—"
I lowered her to the ground with trembling hands. Her skin was colder than the water. Blue shadows clung to her lips.
She wasn't breathing.
Minutes blurred into each other—five, ten, maybe more—as I performed CPR, my hands slipping on her damp shirt, my breath shaking.
"Please…" Tears poured down my face, mixing with the blood still running from my cheek. "Liz, breathe. I know you're stronger than this. Come on—open your eyes. Please. Please don't leave me. We still have so much we were supposed to do together. So many places I wanted to show you… please…"
My voice crumbled.
"I promised your mom I'd take care of you."
My chest tightened so hard I could barely breathe.
"So please… please, please God—don't take her from me."
I prayed to every god, every power, every silent universe.
But the room stayed cruelly quiet.
Her body grew colder. Her little fingers stiffened. Her lips turned an empty shade of blue.
She was gone.
The world collapsed in on itself.
"I lost her…" I whispered, my voice hollow. "I lost Liz… the only thing that mattered."
Footsteps echoed faintly up the stairwell.
"Alex? Alex, where are you?"
Jess's voice cut through the silence—but it was too late. Far too late.
She burst into the room.
Her eyes widened when she saw my bloodied face—then widened further when she saw what was in my arms.
"Alex… what happened? Why is your face—why aren't you answering? Is… is Liz okay?"
Her voice trembled. "Alex, please. Say something."
She moved toward Liz, but I pulled the girl closer to my chest, rocking her gently.
"I'm sorry," I whispered over and over, barely audible. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
"Alex—what are you doing? Let me see her!" Jess shouted, panic rising.
I shoved her away so violently she crashed to the floor.
"It's cold," I murmured, brushing Liz's wet hair back. "Liz will catch a cold. I have to keep her warm."
Jess stared at me, horror flooding her expression.
She dropped to her knees. "Alex… please. Let me take her." Her voice broke. "Please…"
I looked up at her with an empty, shattered face.
Tears streamed relentlessly down my cheeks.
"Keep your voice down," I whispered. "You'll wake Liz."
Jess slapped me—hard.
"COME BACK TO YOUR SENSES! She's gone!"
More footsteps approached—officers Jess had called.
They moved to take Liz from my arms.
"No—NO—DON'T TOUCH HER!"
I fought them, desperate, clawing, holding on as if my grip could bring her back.
But there were too many hands and too much reality.
They pried her from me.
Jess grabbed me from behind, wrapping her arms around me to stop me from lunging after Liz's body again.
"Alex—stop—please—stop—"
My body went still.
A laugh burst out of me—sharp, broken, hysterical.
"She's dead, Jess," I said between ragged laughter. "Liz is dead. And it's my fault. I killed her."
My laughter grew louder, emptier, echoing through the entire building.
Everyone stared in devastated silence.
Eventually my laughter faded… leaving nothing but a whisper:
"I will kill them," I said, trembling. "I will kill them all."
Jess's grip loosened in shock.
I shoved her off me—this time she stumbled and fell, crying out my name.
But I was already running.
I crashed down the stairs, pushed through the broken doorway, and leapt into the first abandoned car outside.
Jess sprinted after me, but her voice became small, distant.
The engine roared.
And I drove off into the night—
leaving behind blood, broken glass, and the only piece of my heart I ever loved.