LOGINAmber POVBy the time Pamela finally left the room, I had decided that whatever role she had played in interrupting the Sum president's broadcast could wait. I had enough enemies, enough unanswered questions, and enough reasons to distrust powerful people without adding another mystery to the list simply because Pamela had smiled at me in that infuriating way of hers. If she wanted to keep her secrets, she could keep them for now. I had more important things to worry about, starting with the people I loved and making sure every single one of them remained alive.For once, I wanted to spend my energy protecting my family rather than trying to anticipate who would come after us next.Two weeks passed.It took almost that long before I could wake up in the morning, take a deep breath, and confidently say that it no longer hurt to breathe. My recovery was slow, frustrating, and occasionally humiliating, especially when Jason caught me attempting something my therapist had explicitly forbi
Amber POVThe Sum president was in the middle of his live question-and-answer session when the broadcast abruptly changed.A reporter had just asked whether the recent arrests would lead to further investigations into influential business families. The president adjusted his microphone and began answering, his expression composed as he explained that no one would be above the law under his administration.Then the picture stuttered.For less than a second, the screen displayed a frozen image of the president before cutting to the news station's familiar logo. A brief transition followed, accompanied by the anchor's voice.“We interrupt this live broadcast for an official statement received moments ago from the River City military command. The communication concerns the ongoing international investigation into human trafficking and has been designated for immediate public release.”The anchor appeared at the studio desk, holding a sheet of paper. Her expression was serious, but she spo
Amber POVThe president of Sum didn't take long to make his next move.Barely a day after Mr. Stait's warning, he appeared before the cameras in a carefully arranged press conference, looking every bit the respectable leader who had spent his career protecting his country. The backdrop displayed the national flag of Sum, while reporters filled the room, eager to hear his response to the recent developments involving the Vincent family and the trafficking organization that had finally begun to unravel.Jason and I watched the broadcast together while preparing for our daily physical therapy session. We were seated in the rehabilitation room, waiting for our therapist to finish adjusting the equipment, when the president appeared on the screen. I immediately stopped what I was doing."Well," Jason remarked, noticing my expression, "our favorite politician has decided to make an appearance.""How thoughtful of him."On the screen, the president stepped toward the podium and offered the c
Amber POVMr. Stait, Emory, and my grandfather had agreed on a dangerous plan. With evidence connecting Mr. White to the warehouse where Adrian had been held, they suspected someone was leaking information from inside the hospital. Rather than wait for another attempt on Adrian's life, they decided to give their enemies a reason to believe there was nothing left to protect.Adrian would be publicly declared brain-dead. The official explanation would be that Clara, unable to accept his condition, had insisted that he remain connected to life-support equipment. In reality, his treatment would continue under strict supervision, and only a small circle of trusted people would know the truth.I hated the idea, but I understood its purpose. If someone was monitoring Adrian's condition for his captors, the announcement might provoke a reaction and expose them.When the news became public, I struggled to look at it objectively. Adrian was still alive, and we were deliberately telling the worl
Amber POVThe first time I visited Adrian, I wasn't prepared for what I would see.I had known he was in critical condition, and Emory had explained that the aconite in his system had caused severe toxicity, but hearing the details and seeing the reality of it were two very different things. Adrian lay in the middle of the hospital bed, surrounded by equipment that monitored almost every function of his body. Tubes, wires, monitors, and machines filled the space around him, each one serving a purpose I could barely understand. The steady beeping of the monitors was the only indication that his body was still fighting. For a moment, I simply stood at the doorway, struggling to reconcile the man I knew with the fragile figure lying in front of me.It was difficult to imagine that he was still alive.I slowly approached the bed and pulled a chair beside him. His face looked pale, and he hadn't moved since they brought him back from the warehouse. I wanted to reach for his hand, but I hes
Amber POVIt didn't make any sense.The president of Sum was the same man who had supposedly found me all those years ago. According to my grandfather, he had discovered me when I was a little girl, alone and unable to remember where I came from, and had helped make sure I was returned safely to my family. I had no memory of his face from that day, no memory of his voice, and no memory of the place where he had supposedly found me. Everything I knew about that part of my childhood had come from the people who had been there.And one of those people had been the president of Sum.I stared at Mr. Stait's message again, trying to reconcile the two versions of the same man. How could someone who had supposedly helped save me as a child now be the person who had ordered Jasmine's signal blocked?There had to be an explanation.At least, that was what I wanted to believe.I decided to speak to my grandfather before I made any conclusions. I called him and waited until he answered, then went
I didn’t cry. I didn’t shake. I didn’t look back, or mourned the life and the years i will never get back, lost forever. I just went home, time to pack and say goodbye to my old life. The penthouse doors opened with biometric recognition the moment I stepped inside. Floor-to-ceiling glass. Marb
We moved quickly through the hallway. Adrian walked behind me, gun raised, covering the corridor while I forced Henry Watson forward. The mansion was quieter than expected. Too quiet. Which meant either the guards were regrouping… or Jason was already on his way. I glanced over my shoulder.
Jason POV Marcus nearly slammed the brakes. “She shot the camera!” I leaned back slowly. Marcus looked at me. “What the hell was that?” I ran a hand over my face. “She said hello husband before she shot it.” Marcus stared. “…Okay.” Silence filled the car. “…What does that mean exactly?”
Family drama. Honestly, I was getting tired of it. I shifted slightly in the chair, letting the ropes around my wrists rub just enough to make the guards think I was uncomfortable. In truth, they had tied them loosely—political kidnappers rarely knew how to do proper restraints. Across from me,







