A Sacrifice to a Feud

Nicole Lewis—that's the name Grandma in the mountains gave me. Grandma said that on the day I was born, the snow fell so heavily, it almost froze me stiff in a pile behind the hospital. Later, I found out it was my own father, Mason Lewis, who threw me into that snow pile. "Nicole, your parents' relationship was a curse—nothing to do with you." Grandma always sat by the hearth, mending my clothes as she spoke. The story of my parents was told to me by the villagers up in the mountains, gossiping as they went. My mom, Melody Scott, was forced by her family to marry Mason Lewis, but her heart belonged to someone else—a schoolteacher. I heard Mr. Lewis deliberately set a trap that left the schoolteacher drowning in debt, all just so he could marry Melody Scott. This was from Ms. Wilson next door, who even shot a glance into my room as she said it. After my mom married Mason Lewis, she always kept a cold look on her face. It wasn't until Mason brought Ruby Lopez—the woman he truly loved—into the city mansion that my mom finally blew up like a firecracker. Melody Scott's a ruthless woman too; she collected evidence of Ruby's company skimming on taxes and got her thrown in jail for three years. Ms. Wilson's voice dropped even lower, like she was afraid someone might be listening. My mom and Mason were trapped in that endless cycle of torment, and that's when my younger brother, Alex, was born. The year my brother was born, Mason suddenly drove back to the mountains and took me away from Grandma's side. "The Lewis Family's blood can't stay stuck in this poor mountain valley forever." He frowned at me, his eyes completely cold. The first time I stepped into the Lewis Family's villa, my brother was running down the stairs clutching a remote control car. "Who are you?" He tilted his round little face up, his eyes full of curiosity. "She is your older sister." Mason Lewis's voice came from behind, carrying an undeniable authority. The younger brother said 'oh' and turned away, running back to play with his toy cars without another glance my way. I was in a room of the Lewis Family's house, leaning against the most secluded corner of the villa. Outside the window, there was only a cold stone wall. Melody Scott rarely spoke to me, and when her eyes passed over me, it felt like she was looking at a stranger. Only the younger brother sometimes came running to my door with snacks. "Sister, this chocolate is really sweet. Here, it's for you." He handed me the unwrapped chocolate, his fingers dusted with cocoa powder. I took the chocolate, my fingertips brushing his warmth, and a faint warmth stirred in my heart. It was a weekend; Mason Lewis was off to a business meeting, Melody Scott had plans with her friends for beauty treatments, so they had the driver take my younger brother and me to the playground. "Sister, let's go on the roller coaster!" My younger brother grabbed my hand, running so fast the wind rushed past our ears. I held his small hand tightly, afraid that the crowd would separate us. The carousel at the playground had just stopped when two men in black jackets suddenly rushed over. One of them covered my mouth while the other grabbed my screaming younger brother. "Don't scream! If you scream again, I'll beat you until you cry!" The man's rough palm pressed against my face, reeking with a fishy, foul smell. I struggled desperately, but he kicked my knee hard, and the pain instantly drained all my strength. They shoved us into an unlicensed van; my younger brother was trembling all over, clutching my arm tightly. "Nicole, I'm scared." His tears stained my sleeve, cold as ice. "Don't be afraid, I'm here." I held him close, but my voice trembled despite myself. The van had driven for over two hours before stopping at an abandoned warehouse. We were pushed inside; the floor was littered with broken stones and rust. A man with a scarred face sat on a battered wooden crate, toying with an iron rod that glinted coldly in the dim light. "Call Mason Lewis, tell him to bring five million to ransom the person." The Scarface threw the phone in front of me, his tone ruthless. "I want to talk to Dad!" I grabbed the phone, shielding my younger brother tightly behind me. "Stop talking nonsense! Do exactly as I say!" The Scarface suddenly stood up, slamming the iron rod hard against the nearby metal bucket, making a sharp clang. My younger brother burst into tears from fear. "Don't scare him!" I pulled my brother further behind me, staring straight at The Scarface. "Oh, still really looking out for the little one." The Scarface sneered, raised the iron rod, and swung it toward my younger brother. Without a second thought, I threw myself onto my younger brother. The iron rod struck my back, and a sharp pain spread instantly, as if my bones were about to break. "Sis!" my younger brother cried out beneath me, his small hands pounding on my back desperately. "If you dare block me again, I'll break your legs!" The Scarface shook the dust off the iron rod and snarled fiercely. Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself up, blood streaming from the corner of my mouth. "My dad will give the money, but you can't hurt him." I locked eyes with The Scarface, my voice weak but resolute. The Scarface froze for a moment, then sneered coldly, "Alright, Mason Lewis's daughter. You've got some spine after all." He tossed the phone back to me. "Dial. And remember, if you try any tricks, this kid's arm comes off first." My fingers trembled as I dialed, every beep hitting me like a blow to the heart. "Hello?" Mason Lewis's voice was sharp with the impatience of a businessman, with glassware clinking in the background. "Dad, it's me." I had barely started to speak when the metallic, bloody taste in my throat made it sting. "Nicole Lewis? Where's Alex? The driver said you should have been back by now." His tone was all blame, no hint of concern. The Scarface snatched the phone and yelled into the receiver: "Mason Lewis, your son and daughter are in my hands! Five million cash, old dock warehouse at noon tomorrow. Dare to call the cops, and you'll be waiting for their bodies!" The line went silent for a moment, then Mason Lewis's urgent voice came through: "Don't hurt the kid! I'll get the money, I swear I will!" "Better not try anything funny." The Scarface hung up the phone, stuffed it into his jacket, then glared at us again. "Stay put and behave!" The warehouse window had a hole, cold wind blew in, and I held my younger brother tighter. "Nicole, does it hurt?" Alex wiped the corner of my mouth with his sleeve and asked quietly. "No, it doesn't hurt. I am tough." I smiled and patted his head, but the sharp pain in my back made cold sweat break out all over me. As darkness deepened, a young thug threw over two hard steamed buns and a bottle of water. "Eat up. Don't starve yourself—otherwise, you won't be able to get the job done." He kicked the ground beside me, his tone rough and unfriendly. I tore the buns into small pieces, soaked them in water to soften them, and fed them to Alex. He took a couple of bites, then pushed the food back to me: "Nicole, you eat too." I bit off a small piece; the dry crumbs scratched my throat harshly, but I forced myself to swallow it down. In the dead of night, I vaguely heard The Scarface on the phone, speaking in a very respectful tone. "Ms. Lopez, don't worry, I've arranged everything... Lewis will definitely fall for it..." "Ms. Lopez? That name made my heart skip a beat—I suddenly remembered what Ms. Wilson said about Ruby Lopez." Before I could think it over, a piercing siren blared outside the warehouse. "The police are here!" Another man shouted in panic, his face drained of color. The Scarface's face turned pale, and he grabbed the iron rod, rushing toward us: "D*mn it, Mason Lewis actually called the cops!" "Don't touch him!" I suddenly threw myself onto Alex, using my back to shield against the iron rod. With a heavy thud, the iron rod slammed into my shoulder blade. The world instantly went pitch black. I thought I heard Alex's heart-wrenching screams—and maybe the sound of police breaking down the door. Before losing consciousness, all I could think was that Alex was safe.