Amber stood by the window of Niccolo’s private estate, a cup of untouched tea cooling in her hands as dawn crept across the sky. Outside, the manicured gardens stretched for acres, quiet and beautiful–so far removed from the chaos she’d left behind.
She hadn’t meant to take Joshua with her. Not at first.
But the moment she stood by the door that morning, her bag in hand, her heart battered but determined, she saw the boy in the hallway- clutching his stuffed bear, blinking at her with wide, confused eyes.
Maybe she should’ve left him. Maybe she should’ve slammed the door and never looked back.
But she couldn’t. Not after everything they’d done to her. Not after how they’d used him–how they’d weaponized his existence to control her every move, every breath.}
So she’d taken him. Not to hurt him. Never that.
In Niccolo’s estate, Joshua had been cared for better than he ever was in that cold marble house. She made sure he was fed. Warm. Safe. He spent his days laughing with other children at the orphanage down the hill–playing tag and building block castles, believing he was on some magical field trip with Miss Amber and her “friends.“}
Each night, she sat by his bed and watched him sleep, the guilt pressing down on her chest like a stone.}
This is what they never felt, she thought. This is what they took from me. The chance to hold my child. To see my baby safe.
So for days, she let them panic. She let them feel it. The same bone–deep terror that had swallowed her when she’d lost her own child alone in that hospital hallway while they were too busy destroying her life.§
But she never laid a hand on him. Never raised her voice. In the mornings, she packed him snacks for his “field trips.” that she also arranged to make sure Joshua would not want to go home. Slowly, she felt that Joshua was liking him… better than before when he used to throw salt at her,
Finally, after days, she finally decided to let him go. A driver dropped Joshua off in front of the Villarez mansion gates, a little backpack slung over his shoulders, a small box clutched in his hand.}
Inside, Treston and Summer were still living in the purgatory of their own making–each hour more suffocating than the last.”
Summer hadn’t stopped pacing since sunrise, her hair unkempt, her eyes red. Treston sat hunched over his phone, dialing the police for
the hundredth time.
When the knock came, they both froze.
The butler’s voice trembled, as he cracked open the door. “Sir… ma’am. It’s–it’s Joshua.”
Summer.nearly collapsed trying to get to the foyer. She fell to her knees, gathering Joshua in her arms, kissing his face, inspecting every finger as though he might vanish again if she blinked.§
“Baby! Are you okay? Did she hurt you? Did she say anything to you?!” Her voice cracked, frantic and trembling.
Joshua blinked at her, unfazed. “I was on a trip with some kids,” he said proudly. “Miss Amber gave me cookies. And toys.“}
“Amber?” Summer’s voice rose, sharp enough to cut glass. “Did she make you go with her? Did she hurt you?”
Summer looked like she might snap right then and there. “No! Never! Don’t you ever go She’s evil! Do you understand?“}
Joshua’s brow furrowed. “No. She was nice. She said you sent me. Wasn’t that a fiel
Joshua frowned, glancing down at the box in his hands. “But… she gave me this gift. S
that bad like you said and I think I was starting to like her..”
that woman again, you hear me? She’s mean!
said she couldn’t come back with me. She’s not
Tresion snatched the box from Joshua’s hands and ripped it open. Inside, he found a single letter in Amber’s precise handwriting. You better thank me because I didn’t kill your child like you did to mine. Next time, be careful. Goodbye, Don’t ever show your face to me again. Have fun with your little family.”
Treston’s hands crumpled the letter into a tight ball, his eyes darkening. “Where is she?!” he barked at Joshua. “Where did she take you? Who was with you?!”
Joshua flinched, stepping back, his lip trembling. “I–I don’t know. I just played with some kids=”
Treston slammed his fist into the wall. “Useless! You can’t remember anything? You!”
“Stop it!” Summer hissed, pulling Joshua behind her. “He’s a child, Treston! He’s our son–stop scaring him!“>
“He’s just as pathetic as she is!” Treston snapped, chest heaving. “He could’ve told us where she is! He-”
“So what?!” Summer fired back, her voice shaking. “She’s gone! She’s out of our lives now! Isn’t that what you wanted? Isn’t it better this way? She should be punished for kidnapping, but at least she’s gone now–we can be happy again, just us.”
Treston’s eyes flickered. “No,” he said lowly. “I won’t allow it. She doesn’t get to walk away from this. She doesn’t get to divorce me like it means nothing.”
Summer’s jaw dropped. “What do you mean? Are you saying-” Her eyes narrowed, cold suspicion flickering across her face. “Are you saying you still love her?”
Treston’s mouth opened–just a crack of truth threatening to slip out. But he caught it, smothered it, replaced it with venom.” “No. She needs to pay. That’s all this is. She doesn’t get to win. I won’t let her humiliate me.“>
Summer’s lips curled into something between a snarl and a sob. “Are you sure that’s the only thing you want, Treston? Really?“} He glared at her. “Of course. I don’t want her anymore. You’re what I want.”
YUTAM
She stepped closer, forcing her manic eyes to soften. “Then prove it. Marry me. Right now.”
Treston stared at her–at the mess he’d made, the wife who’d become a ghost, the mistress who wanted to wear her crown. His fists clenched around Amber’s letter until his knuckles whitened.
“Fine,” he lied through gritted teeth. “We’ll get married.“}
