Chapter 3: Heroic Sacrifice

Lucy was on the verge of breaking down after seeing the video. Since discovering her daughter was missing, she had been like an ant on a hot stove. She tried to stay calm, but seeing her daughter under the control of people worse than animals made it impossible. She couldn't stop her tears. "Monsters! Scum!" Lucy cried uncontrollably. "Tom, Tom, please don't treat my daughter like that!" Knowing how hard Lucy had it raising her alone, her daughter had never caused her any trouble. Even when she wanted toys, seeing other kids with both parents while she only had a mother made her worry for her mom. Because of this, Lucy's daughter, Tangna, learned to be very grateful from a young age. When there was no money for school, she sought help from her teachers, working at the school to reduce her kindergarten fees. When she was hungry, she never bothered Lucy but found something to eat at home herself. This independent nature left her with a chronic stomach problem, frequently landing her in the hospital, where the costs were high. She never told Lucy about her condition until Lucy found out from the police. From then on, Lucy never gave her anything but the freshest food, even if it meant she went hungry. But now, her precious daughter, whom she had protected so carefully, was being forced to eat dirty cereal by these people. Lucy cried uncontrollably at the thought. Susan, Lucy's best friend, understood her struggles over the years. Knowing she had called Joseph without Lucy's knowledge, she felt justified. Tom, seeing Susan in the video, sneered. "You beast! I've never seen anyone as disgusting as you!" "You think you can be with Lucy? I won't allow it!" "You are nothing but trash!" Tom smirked and confronted Susan. "You think you're any better? Don’t think I'll fear you just because you're the daughter of the Deputy Mayor of East Los Angeles! My dad is the top mafia boss in the slums!" Tom's father led the Los Angeles mafia: Falcon. They committed countless crimes, including drug trafficking and murder. Even a family like Susan's couldn't oppose them. "Susan, get out of here! Or I'll have my dad kill your entire family!" Susan turned pale, knowing Tom meant it. Their family would have to leave Los Angeles. Tom sneered. "Lucy, you have thirty minutes to agree to be mine, or your daughter dies!" "I'll be waiting at our usual place. Wear that sexy little outfit I like." Tom’s words were vile, but Lucy couldn't disobey. The camera showed several two-meter-tall black men around Tangna, who looked as fragile as a porcelain angel. Their meeting place was a beautiful villa, where Tom had first met Lucy and tried to assault her but failed. After hanging up, Tom drove to the villa. Seeing the screen go black, Lucy knew this was her only chance. She went to her wardrobe, prepared to sacrifice herself. "Don't do it, Lucy! Don't be foolish!" Susan grabbed Lucy, panicking. "Do you know what those people do? If you go, they might harm you!" Lucy was unafraid. "As long as Tangna is freed, I don't care. You must take care of her. As for me..." She gripped a knife, ready to kill Tom and then herself. Susan, understanding Lucy’s intent, grabbed her hand. "No, we can find another way!" Lucy frowned. "Don’t joke. I have no one else but you. What other way?" Desperately, Susan admitted, "I called Joseph." Lucy’s eyes widened. "Why? He’s just a man who abandoned me! Even if he comes, what can he do?" Before she could continue, Susan interrupted. "You know that’s not true. You know how Joseph felt about you! His character was too good to cheat on you. He left to protect you!" Deep down, Lucy had always suspected this. But she was afraid it was just her imagination, fearing the pain of false hope. "Stop it. Even if he returns, what can he do? He doesn’t know about our daughter. What if he doesn’t acknowledge her? What if he doesn’t love her?" "Tangna is my daughter. I love her more than anyone else could." Lucy’s eyes were filled with determination. She dressed and prepared to leave. Susan tried to stop her, but Lucy shook her off. "I know what you mean, but don’t try to stop me." "If you consider me a friend, promise me one thing." Susan was stunned. "What is it?" "Take care of my daughter after I'm gone."