LOGINAmber POVThe morning Jason left for the DNA appointment, another story broke.This one changed everything again.The missing Vincent women were speaking.Not one.Several.Some were women Mr. Stait and Emory had rescued during previous operations. Others had been recovered after the international investigations expanded. Women the Vincent family had spent years describing as missing, unstable, estranged, dead, or simply irrelevant were suddenly appearing in front of investigators.And their stories matched.I watched one of the recorded statements from the living room.The woman on the screen looked exhausted. There were shadows beneath her eyes, and she kept twisting her fingers together while an investigator sat beside her."My father didn't lose me," she said.My stomach tightened."He sold me."I stopped breathing.She swallowed."Alexander Vincent's father sold us."The investigator asked her to explain.Her eyes filled with tears."He decided where we went. Which families recei
Amber POVAfter that, everything started to spiral.Apparently, publicly declaring war against a human-trafficking network while six months pregnant had consequences.Who knew?My grandfather called before we'd even made it back to the castle. He didn't bother with a greeting."What the hell were you thinking?""I was thinking that someone needed to say it.""Amber, you named three powerful families on live television.""Yes. I remember. I was there.""Do not get smart with me."I pulled the phone slightly away from my ear and looked at Jason. He was sitting beside me in the car, pretending not to listen while very obviously listening."Grandpa, I'm fine.""You declared war.""Against human trafficking.""That clarification is not making me feel better.""It should.""It doesn't."I sighed and rested my head against the seat."I wasn't going to stay quiet after hearing Rose and Iris."His silence told me he understood that, even if he didn't like it.Finally, Grandpa sighed."Increase
Amber POVJason passed Rose and Iris on his way to the microphone.He gently touched Rose's shoulder, then Iris's.Both girls stopped.Jason continued toward the podium.The cameras immediately turned toward him.He stood behind the microphone and looked across the room."You all know me."The room quieted."My name is Jason Sun."Everyone there knew that.What they didn't know was what came next."But what most of you don't know is that I understand some of what these girls are describing."I stopped breathing for a second.Mrs. Sun went completely still.Jason looked directly toward the cameras."I lost my identity too."Whispers erupted."For two years of my childhood, I was kept away from my family. I was mistreated and isolated. I was made to forget who I was."The room exploded with questions."Mr. Sun, who took you?""Were the Vincents involved?""Did your grandparents know?""Are you saying you were trafficked?"Jason waited.Eventually, the room quieted again."When my grand
Amber POVRose stood behind the microphone with Iris's hand still wrapped around hers.The room remained completely silent. A few minutes earlier, reporters had been throwing questions at Mr. Stait faster than he could acknowledge them. Now, no one seemed willing to interrupt the little girl standing before them.Rose looked toward me briefly.I smiled at her.She turned back to the cameras."I didn't have a name either. Not a real one. Not one that belonged to me."A murmur moved through the room, but Rose continued."I know people call me Rose Becker now because Becker is the family I was born into, but when I lived there, nobody treated me like I was their daughter. I wasn't given an education. I didn't go to school. I didn't have teachers or classes. Nobody cared if I learned to read properly or if I knew the things other children my age knew."Her voice was soft, but every microphone in front of her carried it across the room."I didn't know that wasn't normal because it was the
Amber POVThe doctors were not happy about me flying to River City.Jason was even less happy about it, which was impressive considering he was the one who ultimately arranged the flight, the medical clearance, the additional security, and enough monitoring equipment to make me feel as though we were transporting a critically endangered species instead of a six-months-pregnant woman.But there was no possibility of me staying behind.Rose and Iris had decided to speak publicly, and if they wanted me there, I would be there.All of us flew to River City together. Mr. and Mrs. Sun came with us, and Grandpa was already there. Mr. Stait and Emory had traveled ahead to coordinate with military and police officials because this wasn't going to be presented as a family dispute or another scandal between wealthy families.This was a criminal investigation.The statement would be given from a government facility, with representatives from the military, police, and investigators standing togeth
Amber POVJason contacted the trustees of the St. Johns family the following morning.I expected the process to be complicated considering the amount of money involved in the trust, but complicated turned out to be an understatement. The trustees had apparently spent decades preparing for people to appear claiming some distant relationship to the vanished family. There were protocols for everything, including exactly how a potential heir's DNA could be collected.The test couldn't be done privately.There would be witnesses present during the collection, representatives from the trust, an independent laboratory, legal observers, and enough documentation to establish an unquestionable chain of custody from the moment Jason's sample was taken until the results were certified.Jason listened to the explanation without complaining."When?""We can arrange the collection in three days," the trustee told him through the video call. "However, Mr. Sun, you should understand that the results w
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,







