Austin’s POV

Several hours had already passed, yet it felt like I had been counting years. There was still no news about my wife and child. Every tick of the clock felt like a needle piercing my chest. I couldn’t sit still—I needed to know that they were safe.

I stared blankly into space, sitting on the sofa while repeatedly squeezing my phone in my hand, hoping it would ring at any moment. My fingers were trembling with anxiety, and I felt like I would lose my mind from ...