MasukJason POV"Check the food."The security officer beside me frowned."Check Amber's food," I repeated, louder this time. "We both ate, but only she collapsed. Test her tray, her water, the utensils—everything."For one brief second, the nurse stopped struggling.That was enough.Security immediately secured both trays, glasses and utensils as evidence while the medical team continued working around Amber. Then the sound of the fetal monitor changed, and every doctor near her reacted at once."Find Baby B."My stomach dropped.The obstetrician moved the monitor across Amber's abdomen while another doctor checked the readings. Their expressions were enough to make panic rise in my throat."What's happening?"The obstetrician looked at me. "The babies aren't moving normally.""They were moving this morning.""I know. We still have cardiac activity, but both babies have stopped showing expected movement, and their heart-rate patterns are becoming concerning.""Then wake Amber up.""We're t
Amber POVBy lunchtime, I was tired enough to admit that bed rest might not be the completely unreasonable torture I'd accused my doctor of prescribing.Jason had finished physical therapy that morning and was pretending it hadn't exhausted him. I had spent more time than I was supposed to reviewing reports, which meant Pamela had already threatened to confiscate my tablet twice.A nurse entered carrying our lunch trays.I recognized her immediately. She'd been attending Jason since he'd arrived at the hospital. She wasn't his only nurse, but she'd been around often enough that neither of us paid much attention when she entered anymore."Food," she announced as she set the trays down. "And before either of you complains, I don't cook it."Jason inspected his plate. "Convenient excuse.""I'll tell the kitchen you've recovered enough to insult them."She checked my blood-pressure monitor, adjusted Jason's IV and began organizing supplies around the room while we ate.There was nothing u
Amber POVThe St. Johns representatives returned the next morning with enough paperwork to make Jason regret having living proof of his ancestry.I was still confined to the second bed in his hospital room, which gave me an excellent view as two folders became four, then six, before a tablet containing the complete preliminary inventory was placed in front of him.Jason stared at it. "Is this all property?""Property, corporate holdings, trusts and associated assets," the attorney explained. "The formal transfer will take time, but this gives you an overview of what has been preserved under the St. Johns trust."Jason scrolled through the list. There were properties in several countries, commercial buildings, residences, agricultural land and investment holdings that had continued accumulating value while the trust waited for a verified successor. Some properties had belonged to the St. Johns family for generations.He stopped scrolling. "There's an estate in Sum.""Yes.""How long ha
Amber POV"Have they found Mr. White?"Jason had asked the same question every morning for the past several days.I looked up from my tablet. He was sitting on the edge of his bed after physical therapy, looking tired but significantly steadier than he had a week ago."No."His jaw tightened.It was still strange hearing him call the man Mr. White.For as long as I'd known Jason, that man had occupied the place of his father, however complicated and damaged that relationship had been. Jason had spent most of his life believing they shared blood. Even after learning that he and Oscar weren't related, there had still been questions.Then we'd found the ledger.Mr. White hadn't merely known Jason wasn't his biological son. He had certified it decades ago before authorizing Jason's transfer to the Becker family.He had known.And now Jason refused to give him even the title of father.I understood.Sometimes distance began with something as small as a name."They're still searching the tu
Amber POVIt took Jason two weeks to get out of bed.His recovery was steady but frustratingly slow. His memories returned in pieces, his head injury continued healing, and physical therapy became the part of every day he hated most.I wasn't doing much better at following medical instructions.My blood pressure started climbing again, and being almost eight months pregnant with twins meant the doctors had very little patience for my argument that I felt perfectly fine."Bed rest," my doctor announced.Across the room, Jason smiled.I pointed at him. "Don't.""I didn't say anything.""Your face did."The doctor continued, "Strict bed rest. Short trips to the bathroom and very limited walking."I sighed. There was no point fighting her, especially after the scare we'd already had during Jason's disappearance."Fine. Then put me in here."Jason looked at me.I gestured toward the empty space in his private room. "Bring me another bed. I'm not spending the next few weeks arguing with nur
Amber POVEventually, the nurse appeared and took one look at the number of people surrounding her patient. "Out."Mrs. Sun immediately turned toward her. "My grandson—""Has a concussion.""I am his grandmother.""And I am his nurse."I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. Jason looked between the two women before apparently deciding which one represented the greater immediate threat."Grandma, I think she can have this one."Mrs. Sun looked genuinely betrayed, but the children laughed, and just like that, the argument was over. Grandpa began gathering everyone while Mrs. Sun extracted a promise from the nurse that she would be contacted if anything changed. Alice demanded one last hug, Alex sternly instructed Jason to sleep, and Rose waved from the doorway. Iris lingered for a few seconds longer, watching Jason as though she needed one final confirmation that he was really there, before following the others.When the door closed behind them, silence returned so abruptly
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,







