room, a silent, powerful declaration. This wa

ything the Sterling family has done to you," he said, his voice

rned her head slightly. Her voice was ice. "That ac

tlingly similar to his father's. He nodded once. "Consider it done, Mom. In

venge. All she had wanted was to escape. But the fierce, unconditional loyalty

nd brooding. Now, he moved to her bedside, crouching down t

nation. "That day in the park... if I had been watc

issing persons and trafficking cases, all with the singular, driving purpose of finding her

moved by his decades-long penance. She reached out and placed her hand over

a brother's solemn vow. "I swear to God, Chloe. From this day forward, no one will ever hurt you again. If anyone so

e. It wrapped around her, a promise of safety

. In a moment, she was enveloped in a group hug, her father, her mother, her three brothers, all holding her, a human fortress against

an Sterling ripped off his tie and threw a financial report

e door, his expression carefully neutra

harsh laugh. "It's Chloe

argument, she would retreat, then re-emerge with a desperate flurry of attempts to get his attent

urs of complete and utter silence. It was

y, "she did just give birth.

the city below. "Resting? Or is she playing hard to get? Does she re

a new tactic, a pathetic

, to yell, to demand she stop these childish games. But his pride, the ingr

He would wait. She would come craw

stained, in the hospital. This silence was an anomaly, a disruption to the predictable order of his life, and it irritated

tight, his fingers drumming an

hat very moment, being crowned a queen. He didn't know that a storm of unimag

r next move, oblivious to the fact that

ime. Still nothing. With a curse,