She chained his wife and threatened his baby… then he came home.

Weeks passed. The baby — whom they named Mai — grew stronger and brighter every day. She would stretch her tiny hands toward Khai when he entered the room, and her laughter filled the small space with light. Linda began to relax, believing that perhaps peace had finally settled over the house.

She was wrong.

It was a rainy morning. Khai had stepped out briefly to fetch medicine. Linda had gone to the well to draw water, leaving Mai asleep inside her crib for only a moment. When she returned, she found the bedroom door standing open.

Panic seized her. She rushed inside. The crib was empty.

"MY BABY!" Linda screamed, running back outside.

She found Mrs. Lisa standing near the steep stone steps that led down to the river behind the house. And in her arms — Mai, crying loudly, held dangerously close to the edge.

"What are you doing?!" Linda cried out, rushing forward.

Mrs. Lisa turned, startled. In her anger and surprise, she jerked her arms backward — straight toward the drop. Mai slipped from her grasp.

Time seemed to freeze. Linda dove forward, catching hold of the blanket just as the infant began to fall. Linda dangled over the sharp stones, one hand gripping the muddy bank, the other clutching her screaming daughter. Mud and rain slipped beneath her fingers. She would not let go. She would die first.

Mrs. Lisa stood frozen, horror dawning in her eyes. She had not meant this. She had only meant to frighten Linda. To take the child and hide her until they learned respect. She had never intended for this.

"HELP ME! PLEASE!" Linda cried weakly, her fingers slipping inch by inch.

At that moment Khai returned. He saw his wife hanging over the drop, holding their child above certain death. He saw his mother standing motionless above them.

Khai did not speak. He lunged forward, seized Linda’s arm with crushing strength, and pulled them both to safety. He fell to his knees, gathering wife and daughter into his embrace, checking frantically for injuries. Mai was unharmed, wrapped tight in her mother’s grip. Linda was trembling violently, covered in mud, scraped and bleeding — but alive.