MasukAmber 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
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,







