LOGINI 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. Marble under my heels. The skyline bending beneath me like something I owned. Because I did. Oscar liked to call it our penthouse. He liked to imply he bought it. He liked the way people assumed it was his. I walked straight to the security panel by the entrance. Access Control. I entered my master code. Changed the entry sequence. Updated facial recognition. Removed one name. Oscar White — Access Revoked. Then I opened the residents and visitor log. Deleted his name entirely. No hesitation. No ceremony. 5 minutes later the intercom chimed. “Yes?” I answered. “Miss Asher,” security said carefully, “There is a lady requesting acces under Mr. White, per your most recent instructions access was not granted, Mr. White called to aprove her access, we told him he did not have authorization for that, what should we do?.” “ Thank you Levi, i am sorry for the inconvenience, i will leave his belongings at the front desk,” I replied calmly. “ On Black trash bags, be sure to deliever them to Mr. White only.” There was a pause. “Yes, ma’am.” I hung up and turned to the house staff. “All of Mr. White’s personal items are to be packed immediately,” I instructed. “Clothes, shoes, documents, watches. Everything. Nothing stays.” The head maid Silvana nodded. She had always known who signed her paycheck. “And Silvana, from this moment forward,” I added, “no one enters this residence without my written authorization, not for forgotten ítems, or to say hello.” “Yes, Miss Asher.” I didn’t rush. I walked to the bedroom that used to be ours. Opened the closet. Looked at the half that was never mine to begin with. Seven years. Reduced to black bags, my mind screaming at me when i realized this was just a magazine house, it lacked the personal touches, just like our relationship . When I reached the lobby twenty minutes later, I could hear the screaming before the elevator doors opened. “Do you know who I am?!” Amelie shrieked at the security desk. “I am Mrs. Oscar White, wife of Mr. White, when he hears about this you will be fired, i will make sure of that, let me go, let me pass!” The guards didn’t move. “Ma’am, you are not on the approved entry list.” She turned just as I stepped out of the elevator. Her eyes locked onto me. Recognition. Hatred. Triumph—quickly replaced by confusion. “This is your fault!” she screamed, pointing at me. “You’re poisoning everyone against me, you are the one who should leave, not me, this is mine now!” I adjusted my coat slowly. “Yes,” I said smoothly. “It is my fault.” She blinked. “It is my fault for not correcting Oscar publicly when he claimed this was his penthouse,” I continued. “I allowed the illusion to continue. That was generous of me, don't worry, he should be able to purchase another property with ease, just not mine.” Her face went red. “This is my home,” I said calmly. “Purchased with my funds. Registered under my name. I have full control over who enters it.” I stepped closer. Security straightened. “You are not on the list,” I finished. “You never were, and you never will be.” Amelie sputtered. “Oscar said—” “Oscar,” I interrupted gently, “no longer lives here.” The front desk attendant discreetly slid a luggage cart into view. Black trash bags. Neatly tied. Amelie’s expression cracked. “You can’t—” “I can,” I said. And then I walked past her. No rush. No backward glance. The lobby doors opened for me like I was stepping onto a stage. Outside, waiting beneath the covered drive, was my car. Custom build. Designed by me. Modified suspension. Reinforced frame. Interior engineered for performance and comfort. Matte obsidian exterior with subtle emerald trim. My signature touch. I slid into the driver’s seat. The engine purred to life like it recognized me. I entered the destination into the GPS. Sun Family Estate. Private road access authorized. As I pulled away from the curb, I caught one last glimpse of Amelie through the glass doors, still shouting at security. I didn’t feel anger. I felt alignment Oscar took me for granted, and got married to someone else before we Even ended the relationship.. Amelie had married for position. I had walked away with everything that mattered. The city lights blurred behind me as I drove toward the Sun family lands—acres of private territory, guarded gates, old money woven into the soil. Jason wasn’t just powerful. He was rooted. And for the first time in seven years, I wasn’t driving toward someone else’s life. I was driving toward my own.Amber POV My phone vibrated again. Another message from Jason. The secretary warned me that military personnel were being sent after us. I swallowed. Did you tell him they're already outside the castle? Yes. Did you tell him we're out? No. I smiled despite myself. My husband. Always thinking ahead. Good. Jason continued. He doesn't know how many officers are still obeying the president. Some commanders have refused his orders, but others are following them without questioning their legality. I showed Emory the message. He read it carefully. "That's what I was afraid of." "What?" "If the military is divided, the president could try to consolidate control before anyone organizes an effective response." I considered that. "And if he succeeds?" "Then the situation becomes much more dangerous." I looked at the monitors again. One of the soldiers was standing near the main gate, looking toward the castle. I turned on the lights in the western hallway. He appeared t
Amber POV The soldiers were still surrounding the castle. They had been there for more than half an hour, and as far as I could tell, they had accomplished absolutely nothing. No demands, no attempts to enter, not even a polite knock at the gate. I supposed that when you arrived with an entire military unit, knocking was considered optional. I looked down at Jason's message again. We're out. Everyone is safe. Those words had brought me more relief than I could describe. For several minutes after receiving them, I had been able to breathe normally again. But relief was not the same as peace. My family had escaped the castle, yet they were still in Sum Country, making their way toward a boat that would hopefully take them beyond the president's reach. Until they crossed that border, I wouldn't feel safe. I wanted to call Jason. I wanted to hear Alice's voice, ask Alex whether he was behaving himself, and make sure Rose was managing with the twins. More than anything, I wanted
Amber POV I stared at the wall. Then I laughed. Not because it was funny. Because the accusation was so absurd that I genuinely didn't know how else to react. "Terrorism?" "Yes." "Me?" "Unfortunately." I rubbed my forehead. "Christian, I've spent the last several hours trying not to get murdered. When exactly was I supposed to find the time to become a terrorist?" "I imagine the president isn't particularly concerned with the details." "Clearly." Christian sighed. "The situation is more serious than you realize. According to my sources, the president has been issuing orders directly to military units, bypassing the usual channels. Some officers are cooperating with him." My amusement vanished. "Christian, there are soldiers surrounding my family's castle." Silence. "What?" "Military vehicles. Armed personnel. They've blocked the roads, and nobody has contacted Jason to explain why they're there." "Are you certain?" "My daughter just recorded them." I could hear m
Amber POVI stared at my phone for several seconds after Jasmine ended the call.An entire military force was surrounding the castle.My husband, our children, and Jason's grandparents were trapped inside, and I was sitting in a military facility miles away, unable to do anything about it.For a moment, I couldn't move.I wanted to be there. I wanted to hold my children, to see for myself that they were all right, to stand beside Jason and help him get everyone to safety. Instead, I was staring at a phone, waiting for someone else to tell me what was happening to my own family.I hated it.I hated being so far away. I hated not knowing whether the soldiers would decide to storm the castle before Jason could get everyone out. Most of all, I hated the man responsible for putting them in danger.The president had gone too far.Whatever disagreement he had with us, whatever political ambitions or personal grievances he was trying to satisfy, there was absolutely no justification for send
Amber POVFor several seconds, nobody said a word.The soldiers around me were still staring at my phone, apparently trying to process the fact that my six-year-old son had casually announced he knew where one of the country's most wanted men was hiding.Emory looked as though he had a thousand questions.So did I.Unfortunately, we didn't get the chance to ask any of them.A door slammed open on the other side of the video call.I flinched."Jason!"Jasmine's voice rang through the speakers, sharp and urgent.She appeared behind him, moving so quickly that I barely had time to register her expression before she leaned down and whispered something into his ear.Whatever she said made Jason's face change instantly.The surprise disappeared.His jaw tightened, and his eyes turned cold."Now?" he asked.Jasmine nodded."Now."That was all it took.Jason straightened, scooping Alex into one arm and Alice into the other."Daddy?" Alice squeaked, startled by the sudden movement."Hold on to
Amber POVOne of the soldiers standing near Emory muttered something under his breath."Must be nice to have money. Even the kids get to learn ridiculously expensive shit."Unfortunately for him, Alex heard every word.He tilted his head, studying the soldier with the same serious expression he usually wore when someone said something that didn't make sense to him."Learning things is more expensive when you're an adult," he explained matter-of-factly. "Adults don't have as much time to learn because they have to work, and their time costs money. Children have more time, so it's better to learn things when you're little."The soldier blinked.I stared at the screen.Well.He wasn't exactly wrong.But hearing a six-year-old explain the economics of education as though he were discussing the weather was rather disturbing.Especially when he sounded like a miniature businessman evaluating the profitability of childhood.I opened my mouth, then closed it again.What was I even supposed to







