Laura wakes up after a business trip and notices her daughter is missing. She starts searching for her daughter. Ten years later, the daughter appears on their doorstep and tells the whole truth.<\/p>\n
Laura woke up, still feeling exhausted. Beside her, Richard, her husband and Emily\u2019s stepfather, was fast asleep.<\/p>\n
Laura peeled back the sheets and went to the kitchen like every other morning. The business trip had been tiring. Once she had prepared breakfast, she headed to Emily\u2019s room.<\/p>\n
\u201cTime to wake up, sweetie!\u201d Laura started, but her voice trailed off when she noticed Emily\u2019s bed was perfectly made.<\/p>\n
Laura checked Emily\u2019s bathroom, but Emily wasn\u2019t there. Weirdly enough, Emily\u2019s things were perfectly organized. Laura searched all the rooms, the backyard, and even the garden, but Emily was nowhere to be seen.<\/p>\n
Laura knew Emily wasn\u2019t the most obedient kid. She had sneaked out a couple of times and even attended wild parties. But today, it wasn\u2019t one of those reasons why Emily was missing. Laura could feel it in her gut.<\/p>\n
\u201cRick, wake up!\u201d Laura returned to their bedroom and tried to wake up her husband. \u201cEmily\u2019s missing!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me sleep, Laura,\u201d Richard replied, his voice groggy. \u201cShe\u2019s a teen. She must have snuck out to meet those friends of hers. Relax.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is serious, Rick. Her room is spick and span! This isn\u2019t like Emily!\u201d<\/p>\n
But Richard dismissed her concerns and went back to sleep. Laura was anxious. She went downstairs to the living room, hoping Emily would walk in through the door any moment, safe and sound.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, her phone pinged with a message.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want your daughter alive, bring $100,000 to the address below\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Laura\u2019s head spun. She wanted to tell herself it was a bad dream. But it wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
With trembling hands, Laura immediately called the cops. They arrived soon. She had just let them in when Richard\u2019s voice boomed from upstairs. \u201cLaura? What\u2019s going on? What are cops doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone kidnapped Emily!\u201d she replied tremblingly. \u201cThe kidnapper is demanding ransom.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure it isn\u2019t one of Emily\u2019s games?\u201d he asked as he joined her in the living room.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course it\u2019s not, Rick!\u201d she cried. \u201cWe have to find her!\u201d<\/p>\n
The cops, Laura, and Richard entered Emily\u2019s room.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything missing from here?\u201d Detective Harris asked Laura and Richard.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe carpet!\u201d Laura now noticed. \u201cIt\u2019s not here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou got any idea about it?\u201d Detective Harris looked at Richard.<\/p>\n
\u201cUh, yeah, I took it to the dry cleaner,\u201d Richard replied.<\/p>\n
Detective Harris made a note. \u201cI\u2019ll need the dry cleaner\u2019s address, please.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I\u2019ll get it. One second,\u201d Richard said and left the room.<\/p>\n
While the detectives looked around the space for other clues, Laura\u2019s phone pinged again. Blood drained off her face as she read the message that had popped on her screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Detective Harris noticed her horrified expression. She handed her phone to the cop, who read the message aloud.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you involve the cops, you\u2019ll never see your daughter again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s drop the ransom, Mrs. Dennings,\u201d Detective Harris suggested. \u201cWe can set up around the drop-off location. It\u2019s the best chance of getting your daughter back and catching the kidnapper.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo way!\u201d Richard protested as he returned with the address. \u201cThat\u2019s too risky. We should just give the ransom, and then maybe the bad guys will let her go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Richard, what if they take the money and run away?\u201d Laura shook her head. \u201cNo. I think the detectives are right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Richard couldn\u2019t argue any further. It was decided: Undercover officers would be positioned around the ransom drop-off point.<\/p>\n
As Laura drove to the drop-off point with the ransom money, she only thought of Emily. She just wanted her back. She wanted her baby girl home.<\/p>\n
Laura parked near the park the kidnapper had mentioned. Then, following his directions, she walked over to the oak tree in the park\u2019s center and placed the money there.<\/p>\n
As Laura returned to her car, she positioned her rearview mirror to keep a vigilant watch on the drop site.<\/p>\n
Detective Harris, in a nondescript jacket and jeans, signaled at her from across the street that the cops were positioned. Laura\u2019s heart pounded every time she looked into the rearview mirror. She couldn\u2019t wait for the kidnapper to show up.<\/p>\n
But day turned into night, and no one ever came. The children playing there left the park, and soon, it stood abandoned again. Detective Harris approached her window, and she rolled it down.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s time you should head home, Mrs. Dennings. Perhaps the kidnapper changed his mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laura was crushed. How could the kidnapper not show up? Did he get a hint about the undercover cops? The drive home was a blur for Laura. As she returned to Emily\u2019s room, she saw the carpet was back. Richard stood there, his eyes bearing a strange relief.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoesn\u2019t the carpet look like it\u2019s new?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
Laura kneeled to run her fingers on the carpet. Emily had chosen it herself several months ago. She was so excited when they brought it home.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow could it be so new?\u201d Laura blurted.<\/p>\n
\u201cA good cleaner can do wonders, honey,\u201d Richard replied quickly, almost too quickly. And it was then a doubt crept into Laura\u2019s mind. But the grief of her missing daughter was too deep to dwell on anything else.<\/p>\n
Ten years passed. The cops closed the case because there were no leads. Everyone seemed to have moved on from Emily\u2019s disappearance, but Laura hadn\u2019t. She entered an advertising office, clutching her daughter\u2019s photographs. They had turned a pale yellow, and the edges of some were worn.<\/p>\n
Laura approached a woman at the front desk. \u201cI\u2019d like to rent some banners,\u201d Laura said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSure,\u201d the woman, Jenna, smiled. \u201cHow many would you want?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs many as I can afford.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jenna listened patiently as Laura explained about Emily\u2019s disappearance. They settled on three banners placed along the busiest highways in the area. Jenna offered a compassionate discount, touched by Laura\u2019s story, which she had pieced together from Laura\u2019s brief, poignant explanations.<\/p>\n
The design was simple\u2014a blown-up version of Emily\u2019s photograph, her smile frozen in time, and the words \u201cForever missed, forever loved\u201d in bold, impossible-to-ignore letters. Beneath that, \u201cIf you know something, say something,\u201d followed by a hotline number.<\/p>\n
Every time Laura looked at those billboards, a spark of hope ignited in her. Her friends and family thought the advertisements were meant to provide her with peace. But Laura didn\u2019t need peace. She wanted her daughter.<\/p>\n
Laura hoped someone would call her and tell her Emily was found. As days passed, she did receive a lot of calls. But it was just those well-wishers.<\/p>\n
One day, Richard just lost it. \u201cAll our savings are gone, Laura! Just because you plastered her face all across the city!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo?\u201d Laura retorted. \u201cWhat do you expect me to do, Richard? Just forget about our daughter? I want to keep her memory alive!\u201d<\/p>\n
Laura and Richard\u2019s argument was cut short by a sudden knock on the door. Huffing, Laura approached her front door and answered. A young girl stood on the doorstep, and she didn\u2019t have to speak a word for Laura to recognize her.<\/p>\n
Laura threw her arms open around the girl and hugged her. \u201cEmily, oh, you\u2019re back!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, Mom! I\u2019m home!\u201d Emily replied as the two stood hugging each other. Then Emily pulled away and raised her one arm to show the carpet she was holding. \u201cThis was all I had, Mom,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I kept it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho\u2019s there?\u201d Richard\u2019s loud voice boomed from the inside. His face went pale when he approached the front door and looked at Emily.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Richard?\u201d Emily sneered. \u201cYou see a ghost? He\u2019s the one responsible for my disappearance, Mom!\u201d Emily pointed at Richard.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? That\u2019s nonsense!\u201d Richard cried in his defense.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome inside, Emily,\u201d Laura said. As Emily entered, Laura closed the front door. She looked from her daughter to her husband. What was going on?<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s lying, Laura!\u201d Richard yelled. \u201cDon\u2019t listen to her! She\u2019s trying to tear us apart!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me everything, Emily!\u201d Laura insisted, ignoring Richard.<\/p>\n
Ten years ago\u2026<\/p>\n
Laura was away on a work trip for a week. When Emily returned from school, Richard was sprawled on the living room couch, watching TV.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, kiddo!\u201d he said as he sat up. \u201cHow was school?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was fine,\u201d Emily replied and was about to head to her room, but Richard insisted she join him for TV. \u201cI could use some company,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s your favorite show.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily hesitantly sat beside Richard. At first, she didn\u2019t suspect something was wrong. But then, she became aware of Richard touching her skirt\u2019s hem. \u201cNice skirt,\u201d he commented. Emily\u2019s heart thumped in her chest. She managed to say thanks.<\/p>\n
She tried to focus on the TV show, but it was too hot. She began unbuttoning her shirt when her fingers brushed against Richard. \u201cLet me help you,\u201d he said, then ran his fingers along her neck.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got it,\u201d Emily said and pulled away. But Richard didn\u2019t take her hint. He insisted that she come closer to him so that she could watch the TV properly. \u201cCome on, Emily. You\u2019ve grown, and it\u2019s not like you don\u2019t want me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Emily freaked out. \u201cGet away!\u201d she yelled. \u201cI\u2019ve got to do my homework!\u201d<\/p>\n
Suddenly, their neighbor\u2019s Beagle barked, distracting Richard. Emily got the chance to escape and dashed to her bedroom.<\/p>\n
She was terrified and disgusted, but she felt safe here. But it wasn\u2019t long before her peace was disrupted.<\/p>\n
Richard entered the room, a broad grin on his face. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to be scared, Emily!\u201d He smirked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you doing here? Get out! This is my room!\u201d she cried. \u201cLeave, Richard, or I\u2019ll tell Mom everything!\u201d<\/p>\n
Richard burst out laughing. \u201cAnd who do you think she\u2019ll believe? A grown man or her over-imaginative daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019ll believe me! I know my mom!\u201d Emily confidently yelled. Her gaze then traveled to the cell phone resting on her bedside table.<\/p>\n
Richard\u2019s face contorted with anger. \u201cNo calls!\u201d he bellowed. In a sudden move, he reached out to push her away from the phone. Emily was about to grab it and ended up losing her balance.<\/p>\n
The room spun, and she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head. The wooden corner of the table had dealt a blow, and the world went black for Emily.<\/p>\n
When Richard noticed the puddle of blood under Emily\u2019s head, he panicked. He had to think fast. Richard didn\u2019t even check if she was alive.<\/p>\n
He wrapped her body in the carpet, dumped it in his trunk, and then drove out of town. Richard tossed her body into a river, thinking it was Emily\u2019s end. He then returned home and cleaned Emily\u2019s room so nobody doubted him.<\/p>\n
\u201cA couple of fishermen found me, Mom,\u201d Emily continued. \u201cI was in a neighboring town. A kind family there took me in. They also tried to find my family, but I didn\u2019t remember my past. It was only when I returned here and saw my face on the billboards that I recalled everything\u2014My home, you, and the terrible\u2026night!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStop it, Emily! You\u2019re accusing me after all I have done for you guys?\u201d Richard screamed.<\/p>\n
Laura had had enough. She would not fall for Richard\u2019s lies anymore.<\/p>\n
Laura called the police, and Richard was taken to the police station. A DNA test was also conducted to see if the blood stain on the carpet matched Emily\u2019s blood, and it did.<\/p>\n
Richard finally surrendered when the DNA results came out and confessed that he wanted his wife\u2019s money, which is why he pretended to be a kidnapper.<\/p>\n
Months later, the court sentenced Richard to prison. Emily and Laura were finally free, and now they had each other.<\/p>\n
Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.<\/p>\n
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a boy who accidentally met his mother he had thought died years ago while stopping a woman from mugging a hotel guest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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