Chapter 1
842words
In the pitch-black basement, I pulled out my phone with trembling hands and called my husband Alex.
"Kidnapped? On the day of Sophia's birthday party?" His deep voice echoed with casual disbelief through the phone. "Darling, if you don't want to come, couldn't you just say so instead of making up—"
I hung up with a sharp click.
He wouldn't believe me. The phone rang again seconds later.
"Emma?" Alex's voice was edged with impatience. "Stop being childish. Where are you? Sophia's birthday party started an hour ago."
"Alex, I'm not joking! I've been kidnapped!"
From the background, I heard Sophia's honeyed voice: "Alex, we're about to cut the cake! Hurry!"
Alex sighed. "Emma, I know you and Sophia don't get along, but it's her birthday. Stop being difficult and get over here."
I suddenly realized he wouldn't believe me no matter what I said. A strange calmness washed over me.
"Alright, Alex. I'll be fine, don't worry," I said with eerie calm, then hung up.
Since no one was coming to save me, I'd have to save myself. I scanned the basement, using the faint light seeping through the ventilation shaft.
Damp walls. Rusty water pipes. Junk piled in the corner. My wrists were bound with plastic zip ties, but not too tight.
I shuffled to the wall and began sawing the zip ties against a jagged piece of cement. Each scrape burned my skin, but I gritted my teeth and kept going.
Half an hour later, the restraints snapped. I flexed my raw, numb wrists and examined the door. A simple latch—openable from the inside.
The kidnappers had clearly underestimated me. I eased the door open to reveal a dim hallway.
No footsteps. No voices. I crept along the corridor until I found stairs leading upward.
My heart hammered against my ribs, but my mind remained crystal clear. I tested each step before committing my weight, avoiding creaky floorboards.
Finally—the exit. A half-open back door with darkness and freedom beyond. I sucked in a breath and bolted.
Cold air slapped my face as I sprinted down the street. I had no idea where I was—only that I needed to put as much distance between me and that house as possible.
Twenty minutes later, I recognized a street sign. Just a few blocks from home. I slowed to catch my breath, lungs burning.
Just then, a familiar black sedan pulled up alongside me. Alex and Sophia stepped out, still dressed in their party clothes.
"Emma?" Alex's expression shifted from surprise to irritation. "What are you doing here?"
I opened my mouth to explain, but Sophia cut in, her face a mask of concern: "Emma, are you okay? We've been so worried!"
"Worried?" I nearly laughed. "That's not what Alex said on the phone earlier."
Alex frowned. "You claim you were kidnapped, yet here you are, casually walking down the street?"
"I escaped!" My voice rose sharply. "Do you think I'm making this up?"
Sophia gently tugged Alex's arm. "Don't be angry. Emma probably just didn't want to come to my party."
She turned to me, her eyes flickering with feigned sympathy. "I know you don't like crowds. You could have just said so instead of creating drama."
Alex's expression softened. "Seriously, Emma. Why make up something so extreme?"
I stood there, stunned by the absurdity. I'd just escaped a life-or-death situation, and they were accusing me of lying?
"I'm not lying." My voice was ice. "I was kidnapped and locked in a basement. I escaped on my own."
Alex shook his head, skepticism written across his face. "Fine. Let's go to the police. If you were really kidnapped, they need to know."
"Good." I stared directly into his eyes. "Let's go to the police."
The atmosphere in the car was suffocating. Sophia sat in the back, occasionally releasing theatrical sighs. Alex's knuckles turned white on the steering wheel.
At the police station, I recounted everything with eerie composure. The officers took notes, but I could see the doubt in their eyes.
No visible injuries. No witnesses. No exact location. Just my word against... what? The perfect couple beside me?
"We'll investigate, Ms. Hayes," the officer said mechanically. "If we find anything, we'll be in touch."
Outside the police station, Alex finally broke the silence. "Emma, enough. This joke isn't funny anymore."
"Joke?" My voice quivered. "You think I'd make up something like this just to skip a party?"
Sophia wedged herself between us. "We left all the guests to look for you, Emma. Mom is furious."
"Let's just go home. If you don't believe me, there's nothing more to say."
Alex pressed his fingers against his brow with a weary sigh. "Emma, apologize to Sophia. You ruined her birthday party."
He didn't believe me. Not one bit.
The chill of the basement seemed to cling to my skin. I turned to stare out the window.
A couple walked hand-in-hand under the streetlights, their backs to the world.
In that moment, a single word crystallized in my mind—
Divorce.
