LOGINAmber POVThe weeks following the inspection passed in a blur.For once, it wasn't because someone was trying to kill us.It was because Mrs. Sun had discovered what every powerful family in the world eventually learns.Children were terrifying.Particularly when given a project.The school was opening.Finally.And Mrs. Sun was in her element.I'd seen billion-dollar mergers create less chaos than this school.Teachers were arriving.Students were arriving.Parents were arriving.Dorm assignments were being finalized.Uniforms were being distributed.Schedules were being updated hourly.And somehow, Mrs. Sun loved every second of it.The school grounds buzzed with excitement.Children from dozens of influential families had already begun moving into the dormitories.Some came with entire entourages.Others arrived with nervous parents.A few arrived looking more terrified than their children.The boarding houses were ready.The classrooms were ready.The laboratories were ready.The
Amber POVThe press conference was declared a complete success.The Historical Association publicly supported the castle.The restoration had been recognized as the Restoration of the Century.The public outrage disappeared almost immediately.The fake images were exposed.The castle remained ours.And for the first time in weeks, it felt like we had won.Or at least that's what I thought.As the reporters continued asking questions, I noticed Jason's phone vibrate.Once.Twice.Then three times in quick succession.His expression changed.Only slightly.Most people wouldn't have noticed.I did.Jason looked down at the screen.And went completely still.The change lasted less than a second.Then he smiled.A perfectly polite smile.A dignified smile.A professional smile.A fake smile.My stomach tightened.I knew Jason.He wasn't the kind of person who panicked.He wasn't dramatic.He wasn't impulsive.Which meant whatever was on that screen mattered.A lot.I didn't ask.Not there.
Amber POVThe inspection had barely reached the halfway point when my phone started vibrating.Once.Twice.Then continuously.I frowned.That was never a good sign.Jason noticed immediately."What happened?"I checked the caller ID.Pamela.Definitely not a good sign.I answered immediately."Pamela?"Her voice exploded through the speaker."Amber, we have a problem."Of course we did.I stepped away from the historians."What kind of problem?"Silence.Then:"The castle."My stomach dropped."What about it?"Pamela sighed."Someone posted images online."My eyes narrowed."The fake images?""Yes."A pause."The futuristic ones."My stomach dropped even further.The images Alice, Rose, and Iris had created.The bait.The trap.The fake version of Ember Castle.Glass towers.Neon lighting.Futuristic bridges.Holographic displays.The trap we had prepared for the Vincents."What happened?"Pamela sounded exhausted."The images are everywhere."A pause."They're claiming that's what y
Amber POVThe moment the historians stepped out of their vehicles, the inspection truly began.And it became immediately obvious that Dr. Edmund Vale was determined to find something wrong.Anything.His eyes traveled over the outer walls.The towers.The restored battlements.The stonework.Then he turned sharply toward me."What materials were used for the exterior restoration?"No greeting.No pleasantries.Straight to the interrogation.I smiled politely."Good afternoon to you as well, Dr. Vale."His jaw tightened.The governor suddenly found the sky fascinating.Jason looked away.Which meant he was hiding amusement.Dr. Vale ignored my comment."The stone appears original.""It is.""The mortar?""Restored.""The roofing?""Restored.""The windows?""Restored."His eye twitched slightly.Clearly that wasn't the detailed answer he wanted.Meanwhile, Professor Alina Marek was having a completely different experience.Unlike Dr. Vale, she wasn't looking for flaws.She was looking
Amber POVThe day of the castle inspection arrived with the kind of tension that made even the morning light feel suspicious.There were eight approved historians.Only eight.Originally, the Continental Historical Alliance had proposed fifteen.Jason and I rejected seven.Not politely.Not vaguely.We sent full evidence packets.Bank transfers.Emails.Old photographs.Consulting agreements.Private invitations.Proof that every rejected historian had some connection to the Vincent family.Some were direct.Others were buried beneath layers of foundations, advisory boards, academic grants, or “private cultural sponsorships.”But they were there.And I exposed every single one.The Historical Alliance reacted within hours.By the next morning, all seven had been removed from the inspection team.By the next afternoon, they had lost their positions entirely.Apparently academic institutions did not appreciate their historians being tied to a family legally banned from entering Sum.Who
Amber POV The words sent chills down my spine. An incident. Something planned. Something deliberate. I continued. "We brought Jason to the Alliance." A small flicker of hope appeared. Then vanished immediately. "Unfortunately, our castle had already been compromised." My hands tightened around the page. No. "Someone inside our organization betrayed us." Jason cursed softly. "Jason was taken from the castle and returned to Vincent control." The words felt like a punch to the chest. I turned toward Jason. His face had gone completely expressionless. That somehow worried me more. He wasn't angry. He wasn't shocked. He looked tired. As if a part of him had always known. The letter continued. "We searched tirelessly." "We failed repeatedly." "And it remains our greatest regret." I swallowed hard. "Jason remained imprisoned for another year." Another year. An entire year. While everyone searched. While his grandparents looked for him. While Rebecca tried to
It did not take long for Victoria to fabricate a lie, but the explosion didn’t come from the board.It came from a live broadcast.Victoria stood behind a polished podium, composed as ever. Cameras flashed. Reporters leaned forward.“I did not intend to involve myself publicly,” she began, voice s
They called her in. No delay. No warning. The door opened ten minutes later. Amelie walked in looking immaculate — refreshed, polished, perfectly styled. Not a trace of nerves in her posture. At least not until her eyes landed on me. For a fraction of a second, the color drained from her face
We didn’t warn them. We simply arrived. Jason walked at my side. The children stayed close, Marcus just behind us — calm, immovable, inevitable. The moment we entered the company lobby, the air shifted. Whispers followed us. Phones were lowered. Eyes widened. “Call the board,” I instructed t
We drifted into lighter topics after that — Molly’s upcoming clothing line debut, fabric choices, venue rumors, guest lists. It felt almost normal. Almost. Then another call came through. Grandfather. “Molly, I’m sorry — I have to take this. I’ll call you back.” Her teasing hum was the la







