Lahat ng Kabanata ng Meet My Overprotective Brothers : Kabanata 181 - Kabanata 190

By morning, the news had leaked. Someone at the police department must have talked to a reporter. Maybe for money. Maybe just because it was a juicy story. Either way, by eight in the morning, every news outlet in the city was running with it."Sterling Family Member's Son Kidnapped - Ransom Demands Remain Unknown"The Sterling name carried weight. Enough weight that a kidnapping connected to the family made national headlines. Cable news picked it up. Social media exploded with speculation.Cora watched the coverage from the library. Ethan had sent her links to various articles. The story was everywhere. Growing bigger by the hour."This is good," Ethan said, standing beside her. "Public pressure adds another layer. Makes it harder for James to just wait this out quietly.""Is it good?" Cora asked. "Or does it make this more complicated?""Both probably," Ethan admitted. "But complicated is not necessarily bad. The more attention on this case, the more pressure on James to resolve it

Liam had been in police custody for three weeks now. Three weeks in a holding cell that smelled like disinfectant and desperation. Three weeks of terrible food and fluorescent lights that never fully turned off. Three weeks of watching his life fall apart from behind bars.The charges against him kept mounting. Fraud. Theft. Conspiracy. Every day the prosecutors seemed to find some new crime to add to the list. Every day his lawyer looked more grim when delivering updates.But what tormented Liam most was the silence from Vanessa.He had tried everything to contact her. Had his lawyer attempt to reach her. Had asked guards to make calls on his behalf. Had even tried writing letters though he had no current address for her.Nothing. Complete radio silence.Vanessa had vanished the moment he was arrested. Had not visited. Had not called. Had not sent a single message through their usual intermediaries. It was like she had never existed.And Liam was beginning to understand that she had

Liam sat alone in the consultation room after Ethan left. The guard had not come to collect him yet. He had a few minutes to think about what he had just done.He had betrayed Vanessa. Given the Sterling family everything they needed to find her. Locations. Evidence. Contacts. All of it.There was no going back now.His phone privileges had been stripped. His mail was monitored. But word would get out eventually. Someone would tell Vanessa that Liam was cooperating with the Sterlings. And when that happened, his life expectancy would drop to zero.But what choice did he have? Really?His career was destroyed. He had been a rising star in entertainment. Commercial deals. Brand partnerships. A future in film and television. All gone the moment he was arrested.His family had abandoned him. His parents had released a statement disowning him. Said they were ashamed and heartbroken by his actions. His sister had blocked his number. His few remaining friends had stopped returning calls.Nob

The ambulance ride to the hospital was a blur. Ethan kept pressure on his leg wound while paramedics worked around him. They were talking in urgent medical jargon he only half understood. Something about blood loss and potential complications.By the time they arrived at County General, Ethan had lost enough blood that he was starting to feel lightheaded. The world was getting fuzzy at the edges.He was rushed through emergency intake. Nurses cutting away his pants to expose the wound. Someone shoving an IV into his arm. Bright lights overhead making his head pound."Ethan!" A familiar voice cut through the chaos.Caleb appeared. Still in his doctor's coat. His face was a mixture of professional concern and personal terror."What happened?" Caleb demanded. "Someone said you were shot?""Liam's apartment," Ethan managed. His mouth felt like cotton. "Looking for evidence. Someone was waiting.""Stop talking," Caleb ordered. He was examining the wound now. His hands were steady even thou

Ethan stared at his phone after the first call ended. Something about Ryan's tone bothered him. Too much hesitation. Not enough commitment.He dialed again.Ryan answered immediately. "Forget something?""I need a promise," Ethan said. "Before you get on that plane tomorrow. Before you come back here and complicate everything again.""What kind of promise?" Ryan's voice was guarded."That you will control yourself around Cora," Ethan said bluntly. "That you will not pursue whatever this thing is between you two. That you will focus on the investigation and nothing else."The silence stretched. Ethan could hear Ryan breathing. Could practically feel him weighing his response."I cannot promise that," Ryan said finally."What?" Ethan sat up straighter in the hospital bed. Pain shot through his leg but he ignored it."I cannot promise to control myself," Ryan repeated. His voice was steady. Honest. "I wish I could. Would be easier for everyone if I could just lie and tell you what you wa