My Love Was Gone

My husband, Rodger Hayes, was a renowned chief negotiator, famous for his integrity and firmness within the circle.

When my son and I were kidnapped, with three hostages at the scene, the kidnappers agreed to release only one.

Among the women and the boy, Rodger should have chosen to save the boy first.

Yet, I heard him saying in Spanish fluently, "Release the woman in white."

His first love, Jolene Chapman, was freed, while my son, Jacob Hayes, died from a gunfire.

Later, Rodger explained the situation flatly. "The kidnappers chose to release Jolene."

I cradled Jacob's ashes and smiled sadly.

Rodger didn't know that I was fluent in Spanish, as I had been a special forces member.

His lies crumbled before me.

My phone vibrated, and I confirmed the encrypted message. "Falcon returns to base."

...

The air in the abandoned factory was mixed with the scent of rust and blood.

A cold gun barrel pressed against my temple.

I was drugged and was almost immobile.

Jacob was terrified. He buried his face in my chest and sobbed softly. "Mom, I'm scared..."

Soon, outside the factory, the sound of police sirens grew closer.

A man's voice came through a loudspeaker, steady and emotionless. "Everyone, listen up. I'm the negotiator, Rodger. You're surrounded."

It was my husband.

Jacob's eyes lit up. He looked up at me, and his sobs were filled with hope. "It's Dad. He's here to save us."

I was relieved a bit. "You are right. Dad's here to save us."

The ringleader of the kidnappers dragged another hostage to the window, pointed a gun at her head, and shouted in Spanish to the outside, "I have three hostages. Release my brother from jail, or I'll kill them!"

The woman held hostage with us was Jolene.

She was Rodger's first love, who vanished abroad, leaving him with a deep-seated hatred.

I had only seen her in photos.

Fate cruelly and coincidentally brought us face-to-face that way.

At this moment, Jolene, wearing a white dress, screamed hoarsely, "Rodger, help me!"

Rodger's voice came through the loudspeaker again. "Your brother is a major criminal in an international terrorist organization, involved with many people. The police require you to release one hostage first as a gesture of your sincerity."

The ringleader sneered, "Fine. Choose one to release first: the boy, the mother, or this woman."

I gritted my teeth.

Rodger chose to save one. I believed he would surely choose Jacob.

As long as Jacob was safe, nothing else mattered to me.

I expected Rodger to answer immediately.

But he fell silent.

Every second that passed heightened the tension. The only sounds in the factory were Jacob's suppressed sobs and Jolene's whimpers.

Each moment of waiting stretched my nerves tighter.

"Choose quickly! Or I won't release any of them!" the kidnapper shouted impatiently.

Soon, Rodger's voice rang out again, emotionless.

He spoke fluent Spanish to the kidnappers. "Release the one in white. The mother and son stay with you."

My eyes widened, and I couldn't believe what I had heard.

I looked up, through the dust-laden air, at the blurred figure outside the factory.

Rodger had said at our wedding, "I will always stand in front of you, keeping you safe forever."

But he was now pushing my son and me into hell.

The ringleader let out a harsh laugh. "I thought you'd choose the boy."

But he let go of Jolene, gesturing for her to leave.

Jolene scrambled out of the factory.

Through the iron window, I saw her rush into Rodger's arms.

He held her tightly and seemed to be afraid that she would vanish in the next moment.

The kidnappers continued yelling outside the factory, "I've shown enough sincerity. Where's my brother?"

The police behind Rodger didn't respond.

The kidnapper finally lost patience and got furious.

The dark muzzle of the gun pointed at Jacob in my arms.

"You lied to me!"

"Bang!" The gunshot rang out.

Jacob's body convulsed violently and then slumped heavily.

Warm liquid splattered across my face, carrying a strong metallic taste.

I looked down and saw the ever-widening blood hole in Jacob's chest.

He looked at me, and his mouth opened. He seemed to want to speak, but only bloody foam came out. "Mom... Mom..."

His eyes slowly lost their light.

At that moment, the police burst in. Gunfire, shouts, and footsteps mingled chaotically.

In the distance, I saw Rodger carrying Jolene in his arms and rushed anxiously towards the ambulance. He didn't even spare a glance back at us.

Holding Jacob, who lay in a pool of blood, I let out a gut-wrenching wail of despair.

Something inside me shattered bit by bit.

Finally, the world faded into silence.

I passed out.