INICIAR SESIÓNBy day ten, my company was officially operational.
Contracts were signed. Staff were onboarded. Security systems were fully integrated. The only position left to fill was my assistant. And that, somehow, felt like the most dangerous decision of all. I had no idea who to choose. Too many candidates. Too much exposure. Too many risks. With Victoria still working behindAmber POVMy grandfather called me the morning after we finalized the Sum travel arrangements.Not as my grandfather.As Chairman Asher.“Come to the company tomorrow.”No greeting.No buildup.Straight to business.I leaned back against the kitchen counter while watching Jason argue with Alex over whether “tactical backpacks” were appropriate for a family trip.“I already manage Phoenix Ashes,” I reminded him carefully.“And you manage it well,” my grandfather replied immediately. “But Phoenix Ashes is still only one part of the Asher influence.”A pause.“As my granddaughter and heir, you will eventually be expected to help manage Asher Corp directly.”That made me go quiet.Because despite everything that had happened recently…Despite the investigations, the Vincents, the Beckers, the White family—There was still an empire waiting behind my grandfather’s name.And one day…It would become mine.“I’ve allowed you freedom because I knew you needed to build something of your own,” h
Amber POVJason was angry.Not loud.Not explosive.Which somehow felt far worse.He paced through the fairy house command center like a man preparing for war, tension radiating from every movement while his eyes constantly flickered toward security feeds and perimeter alerts.Twice, I caught him looking over his shoulder when absolutely nothing had moved.That alone worried me more than he realized.Because Jason did not scare easily.And Gabriel Vincent’s call had affected him deeply.We informed Emory and Mr. Stait immediately after settling the children upstairs for the night.The secure video call connected within minutes.The moment Gabriel Vincent’s name left my mouth, both men went completely still.“He’s in the country?” Emory asked sharply.Mr. Stait looked equally surprised.“We had no notification of a Vincent family arrival,” he admitted grimly.Jason laughed humorlessly from beside me.“Well,” he said coldly, “now you do.”The room fell silent for a moment afterward.Emo
Jason POVI leaned back slowly against the seat, replaying the conversation inside my head.Every pause.Every carefully chosen word.“I’ve heard wonderful things about Alex and Alice.”Not from the school.From surveillance.“I was hoping to secure business with your corporation.”Not a request.An acknowledgment.Gabriel Vincent knew exactly how much power Cronos actually held.And if he knew that—Then the Vincents likely had far deeper intelligence networks inside the country than we originally believed.Amber crossed her arms slowly.“He wasn’t introducing himself.”A pause.“He was letting us know he already sees the board.”The board.The game.The pieces.And somehow, that realization disturbed me more than the direct threat itself.Because people like Gabriel Vincent did not speak casually.Every sentence carried intention.Every implication was measured.Which meant the real message hidden beneath the call was simple.I know who you are.I know where your children are.And n
Jason POVThe moment my assistant mentioned the Vincent family, the atmosphere inside the car shifted completely.Cold.Focused.Dangerous.I glanced briefly toward the screen still connected to Amber’s kitchen.“Patch it through,” I said calmly.The line connected almost instantly.“Mr. Sun.”The voice was smooth. Cultured.The kind of voice that belonged to old money and dangerous men raised to hide threats beneath manners.“Gabriel Vincent,” the man introduced himself pleasantly. “I apologize for contacting you unexpectedly.”I leaned back slightly against the leather seat.“Mr. Vincent.”A soft chuckle echoed through the speaker.“I’m currently in town handling several investment opportunities,” he explained smoothly. “And I hoped we might discuss securing some business deals between our corporations.”Of course he did.“Cronos has been attracting impressive attention lately,” Gabriel continued. “And I believe cooperation between our enterprises could prove… mutually beneficial.”
Amber POVThe moment we got inside the car, the children exploded into conversation.All at once.“We escaped.”“Alice almost overacted.”“I did NOT.”“You fake-coughed three times.”“That was commitment.”I pinched the bridge of my nose while driving away from the school through the alternate exit route the principal had requested.The same route conveniently far from the arriving Vincent vehicles.Too close.We had been entirely too close.I glanced briefly toward the rearview mirror.Iris was quiet again, though her shoulders had finally relaxed slightly now that we were moving farther away from the school.Rose sat beside her holding one of Alice’s glitter-covered stress toys while Alex looked immensely satisfied with himself.“How exactly,” I asked carefully, “did all of you coordinate this in less than ten minutes?”Alex immediately sat straighter.“I contacted them.”“Yes, I gathered that,” I replied dryly. “How?”Alex lifted his wrist proudly, showing the small smartwatch Jaso
Amber POVOn the way to the school, I received three more calls.One after another.Alice.Rose.Iris.I stared at my phone in complete disbelief by the third call.Apparently, Alex had somehow managed to alert the others that they needed to report to the infirmary immediately.I honestly did not want to know how.The school, however, was now fully convinced they were dealing with a chicken pox outbreak.“Mrs. Sun,” one of the teachers told me anxiously over the phone, “we are especially concerned about Iris since she is older than the others. Symptoms can become more severe—”“I understand,” I interrupted gently while trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. “I’m already on my way.”By the time I arrived, the school was practically in controlled panic mode.Parents were already receiving notifications.Teachers were whispering nervously through hallways.The infirmary staff looked ready to declare biological warfare.Instead of directing me toward the main entrance, sec
By the time Jason returned with the doctor, Madam Sun and I had already reached an understanding. Not friendship. Not trust. A truce. The terms were clear. The online rumors surrounding me would be handled by the Sun family’s media division immediately. The slander from the White Group would n
My feet moved before my mind could catch up. In two strides, I reached them. My hand shot out, gripping the woman’s forearm mid-motion. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” She stiffened. Slowly, she turned her head and gave me a once-over—from my heels to my face—clearly unimpressed.
I stepped into the room but remained near the door. Jason removed his jacket, placing it carefully over the back of a chair. His movements were precise, as if control over small things kept the larger chaos at bay. “Jason,” I said quietly. He glanced at me. “Yes?” I hesitated for only a s
Footsteps approached from the corridor. Measured. Urgent. An older woman entered the living room. Elegant. Impeccable. Authority woven into every line of her posture. Ms. Sun. Her eyes immediately found Alison curled beside me on the couch. I watched the exact moment tension left her shoulder







