Amber’s Pov

“Who are you talking to, Amber?” Jason asked again, stepping closer.

I snapped the call closed and glared at him. “Why does it matter? Have I lost the right to private calls now?” I kept my voice sharp.

He gave a practiced, tight smile. “I was only checking on you. You stormed off so I came to see if you were okay.”

My lie came easily. “It was the PI. He called about my brother’s death.”

Jason’s jaw tightened. “Has he found anything?”

“He said he has a lead,” I lied. “He should have an answer to who killed him by the end of the week.”

Jason nodded, but his eyes darkened. He did not look relieved even though he tried to hide it.

“Amber,” he said, voice soft. “Chloe is a mother too. For the sake of her son, try to forgive her.”

I laughed, a short, bitter sound. “Her son? My son died. He choked in her car. Do you know how long it takes to suffocate? His fingers were broken from scratching the door. He cried and no one helped.”

My throat closed on the last words. The memory of identifying his tiny body made bile rise in my mouth.

“Our son is dead, Amber, but I won’t let you ruin Chloe’s life because of it. She saved my life!” Jason said fiercely.

I was mortified, “She donated her kidney four years ago to save you, you've done everything to please her and now you would sacrifice your own son too?!”

Jason reached for me. “I’m sorry, darling,” he murmured.

I pulled away as I grabbed my coat. “I’m going out. I need air.”

“Amber!” he called, but I ignored him and went down the stairs.

Chloe sat on the couch, a smug smile planted on her face. She looked up as I passed.

“Where are you rushing off to?” she asked, bright as a bell.

I pushed past. She stepped in front of me, blocking the door.

“Answer me,” she said. Then she laughed, cruel. “You’re going to lose everything. Soon your husband will be mine!”

“Get out of my way, Chloe.”

She cocked her head. “Or what? What are you going to do, Amber? You can’t do anything. You couldn’t even save your own son.”

My hands moved without thinking. I slapped her, hard. I grabbed her hair and shoved. She cried out sharp and loud.

Jason came flying down the stairs, eyes wide. “What did you do?” he demanded.

“What I should have done days ago!” I spat, and I ran.

My phone filled with missed calls and angry voicemails as I drove away.

“Come back and apologize to Chloe!” one voice shouted.

“How dare you hurt her, I'll kill you!” another screamed.

“Don’t make me make you regret this!” the next one came in.

“I’ve lost my patience, Amber, I've tried to be nice but you've pushed me. Whatever happens is on you.”

The last one sounded eerily calm and for a moment I was tempted to pick up the call but I ignored it and went straight to the lawyer.

“Mrs. Morales,” he said with the old courtesy. “Always a pleasure.”

“Start talking. What did you mean on the phone?” I demanded.

He slid a paper across the desk. My name stared back at me with my signature on a clause I never saw before.

“This says if you divorce Jason, he gets the company,” he said. “You signed it.”

“I didn’t sign that,” I said, panic rising.

“You did,” he replied. “You asked me to do what Jason wanted when you married. You agreed.”

A flash of memory hit me as I recalled the wedding night, a paper he’d asked me to sign claiming it was “just work.” I had trusted him then. I had signed without reading it.

“But why would he do this? He doesn't want us to get divorced or what? It doesn't make sense,” I frowned.

“It favors him,” the lawyer said. “If you divorce him, you lose your company. If he divorces you, he keeps seventy percent. If you die while married, the company still goes to him.”

My mouth went dry. I felt small, stupid, and trapped.

“I need the divorce papers by tomorrow,” I said. “Find a loophole.”

Before he could answer, my phone rang. It was from the hospital.

“Mrs. Morales, your mother—” the nurse began. “We’re scheduling to remove her corneas.”

I stood so fast I nearly fell. “What? No. Who authorized that?”

The nurse read from a file. “Your husband authorized the procedure, ma’am. You signed consent.”

“I never signed anything!” I said.

I was at the hospital a few minutes later, my heart pounding. My mother was admitted to the hospital three weeks ago after she had a heart attack and collapsed from the top floor. She's been in a coma ever since.

The doctor met me in the corridor with a calm face and a paper in her hand.

“Mrs. Morales, your husband signed. You agreed to donate—” she began.

“Who were those corneas for?” I demanded.

The doctor flipped a page. “Dr. Chloe Morales requested them for research,” she said, then added, quietly, “She is also a resident surgeon here.”

My skin went cold. “You will not touch my mother,” I said, loud and steady. “If anyone tries anything, I will sue this hospital into the ground.”

They backed off and I left with my hands shaking from anger.

By the time I got back home, my anger had not cooled. I slammed open the door and froze.

My sister sat before me. She was tied to a chair. Her clothes were torn. Tears streaked her face.

“Hello, Amber,” Jason said calmly, a cold smile on his lips. “I’ve been waiting.”

Amber’s Pov

“What is going on here?” My voice shook as my eyes darted from Jason to my sister tied up in the chair.

Jane’s cheeks were streaked with tears, her hair messy, her clothes ripped. She looked so small, so helpless.

Jason leaned against the wall, calm as though the sight before us was nothing. A cruel smile tugged at his lips.

“You pissed me off, Amber, even when I tried to be nice,” he said flatly. “So I pulled your sister out of her boarding school. I thought she’d help me teach you a lesson.”

Jane whimpered, “Amber… please…” Her voice was barely a whisper.

My knees weakened, but I forced myself forward. “Why, Jason? Why would you do this to her? She’s just a child!”

Jason’s eyes darkened. “Don’t act innocent. You think I’d just let you get away with what you did to Chloe?”

I frowned. “What I did to Chloe?”

He pushed off the wall, his face twisting with rage. “Because of you, Chloe’s jaw is broken. She’s in the hospital getting stitches as we speak.”

I scoffed. “She killed my son, Jason, she deserves more than that!”

“And you know what’s worse?” Jason’s voice dropped. “She was pregnant with my child. She lost the baby because of you.”

I arched my brow and tried to act surprised, “Your child? How is that possible? Didn’t you say you took her as your sister because she saved your life?”

Jason laughed. It was hollow, bitter, full of scorn. “You’re so stupid, Amber. Chloe took care of me and saved my life while you were partying and too busy to come see me. If she hadn't been there that night when the doctors tried reaching you all to no avail I would have been dead!”

My lips parted, but no words came. My chest squeezed painfully even though I've tried to tell him the truth countless times he's never believed me.

“It’s been four years and yet you still worship her,” I smiled bitterly.

He stepped closer, his eyes burning. “If you hadn't neglected me then I would be worshipping you and not her!”

My stomach twisted but I said nothing. I just realized that my parents had been right all along.

“And you—” he sneered, “you went ahead and got pregnant. You betrayed me and ruined everything!”

Tears blurred my vision. “Ruined everything? Jason, he was our son. Our baby boy—”

Jason’s voice rose, harsh and cruel. “He wasn’t my son! I’m glad he’s dead. The only children I’ll ever have will be with Chloe.”

The words struck like blades. My heart split wide open. I could barely breathe.

“How… how can you say that?” I whispered, tears clouding my eyes.

He threw a piece of paper at me. “Thanks to Chloe, I found out what you were really doing that night.”

My eyes widened and I shook my head when I saw the paper was a DNA test, “No… this is fake, Jason, you can't believe this.”

He scoffed, “You think I’m a fool? This is the same result I got after running the same test in 4 various hospitals!”

“Fine, you've always believed whatever Chloe tells you. Just let Jane go, she has nothing to do with this,” I whispered.

Jason shook his head slowly, smiling like a madman. “No, darling. She has everything to do with this. If you want her safe, you’re going to do exactly as I say.”

My heart sank. “What do you want?”

“You’re going to make a video,” he said coldly. “You’ll post it online, apologizing to Chloe. You’ll tell everyone it was an accident. That you’re not blaming her for your son’s death. The trolls will stop. The hospital will reinstate her. Everything will be fine again.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Never. Never in this life will I defend her. She killed my son, Jason! She doesn’t deserve sympathy, she deserves prison or worse!”

His eyes gleamed dangerously. “That’s why Jane is here. To motivate you.”

Jane sobbed harder, shaking her head. “Amber, please… don’t let him—”

Jason leaned in close, whispering like poison. “If you don’t do the video, I’ll post her naked pictures online.”

Jane gasped. “No!” She broke into hysterical sobs, thrashing against the ropes.

Jason laughed cruelly. “Just imagine it. Your sweet, innocent sister is barely eighteen. Everyone at her boarding school seeing her like that. Her reputation will be destroyed. She’ll never recover.”

I felt sick. My whole body trembled. “You’re bluffing.”

Jason smirked. “Am I?”

He pulled out his phone, tapped a few buttons, and Jane let out a bloodcurdling scream. “No! Don’t! Amber, stop him!”

The horror in her voice told me it was real. Jason wasn’t bluffing.

My world collapsed. I could not let her suffer. “Stop! I’ll do it,” I shouted. “I’ll do the video!”

Jason grinned, victorious. “Smart girl.”

He shoved a phone into my hand and forced me to sit. My tears blurred the camera as I spoke, my voice hollow.

“My son’s death was an accident,” I said, the words cutting me open. “Chloe isn’t to blame. I forgive her. Please stop harassing her. She deserves peace.”

Jason ended the recording, smiling with satisfaction.

Then, without warning, his fist shot out and smashed into Jane’s face. A sickening crack echoed. She slumped in the chair, blood pouring from her mouth.

“Jason!” I screamed.

“That’s your punishment,” he hissed. “For laying a hand on Chloe.” He stormed out, leaving the door wide open behind him.

I rushed to Jane, my hands shaking as I untied the ropes. “Stay with me, Jane, please… please forgive me,” I sobbed, cradling her limp body.

Her jaw was swollen, twisted. Her breaths were shallow.

I dragged her to the car and sped to the hospital, my tears blinding me.

Hours later, I sat outside the emergency ward, wringing my hands, praying she’d survive.

“Rough night?”

The voice froze me. Chloe strolled out of the hallway, perfectly fine, no sign of injury. Her lips curved in a mocking smile.

“You—” my voice broke. “You’re not hurt.”

She laughed. “Of course I’m not. I was never pregnant either. But Jason believed it because he's madly in love with me and believes whatever I want him to even when I told him you cheated and he's not your dead son’s father.”

I scoffed, “Why am I not surprised that you're a manipulating conniving bitch.”

Chloe’s eyes gleamed with victory. “I pushed him to the edge. I wanted him to finally admit to you what he feels for me. And he did, didn’t he?”

“You’re disgusting,” I spat. “Nothing but a filthy whore, that's what he admitted.”

Her smile faltered for a second before she masked it with a glare. “Careful, Amber. You’re in no position to insult me. This isn’t over. I’ll deal with you soon enough.”

She flicked her hair back and sauntered off, her laughter echoing in the corridor.

Later, I sat by Jane’s bedside. Her face was pale, her jaw wrapped in bandages, machines beeping around her. I held her hand, guilt crushing me.

“Please wake up, Jane,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

The door slammed open.

Jason strode in, his eyes red, his face twisted with fury.

“Where is my son, Amber?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Amber’s Pov

Jason’s face was a mask of fury. He stepped into the room and his voice cut the air. “Where is my son?” he demanded.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I snapped.

He laughed, hard and ugly. “Don’t lie to me. There is evidence on the CCTV cameras showing that you took him out of the house. You hated Chloe for your dead son. You wanted to kill hers too. You took him.”

“I didn’t touch him, Jason. I swear—”

Jane moaned and opened her eyes. She looked at me with fear. Her mouth trembled, but her words were a whisper. “Amber… what’s going on…”

But before I could answer, Jason stalked forward and grabbed her chin roughly.

“If you don’t tell me where my son is, I will make you regret it.” His voice was cold.

“Jason, let my sister go, I didn't touch your son,” my voice trembled as I stared at Jane’s terrified face.

Jane started crying. “Amber, help me, please… he's hurting me…”

Her voice sounded so small. My whole body wanted to jump between them and fight.

At that second Chloe burst through the door, acting like a woman about to faint. She fell to her knees and clutched at my hand, tears flooding her face.

“Please,” she sobbed loudly. “Amber, please… give Julius back. I’ll die if you don’t. Kill me instead. Take my life, just bring my son back.”

Chloe’s tears made my skin crawl. I wanted to slap her senseless and tell her to cut the act especially when I saw the smug grin on her face but I held back because Jason had my sister.

Jason’s eyes flared. He turned to his men. “Take her sister out. Make her talk.”

My hands flew to Jane. “What are you doing?” I screamed.

The men moved in. Two of them grabbed my arms and pinned me down. I thrashed and kicked, but there were too many of them.

Jason stepped close and leaned into my face. “Since you won’t confess, maybe seeing her suffer will loosen your tongue,” he said softly. “Maybe then you’ll tell me where my son is.”

They dragged Jane out by her hair. I screamed and pulled, but the men were strong. Jane’s legs scraped the floor. Her sobs echoed in the room.

Then the men started hitting her. Blows, kicks, and her cries mingled together. It was horrifying watching the blood on her body and hearing the sound, I almost went crazy.

“Stop! Stop!” I yelled. “Please, please don’t… Jason I don't know where your son is! How can you be this heartless? She's just a child. Please stop!”

“Jason, please! Don’t hurt her. It won’t bring Julius back. It won’t help,” Chloe suddenly begged even though her eyes still had that victorious smirk.

Jason didn’t listen. “Not until Amber tells me where my son is!”

The blows kept coming. I could hear Jane’s voice break, small sounds turning into nothing. I clawed at the men holding me.

“Let me go!” I screamed.

Finally there was a sickening silence. Then a heavy thud. I heard a faint gurgle. Jane’s moans slowed. I felt my world tilt.

They released her and I saw her clearly. Her face was swollen and purple. Blood pooled at the corner of her mouth. She could not focus. Her eyes were glassy. She whispered something and then slumped. Her breathing grew shallow. She was barely with us.

“No!” I lunged. I tried to catch her head, but my wrists were tied. One of Jason’s men shoved me back.

Jason turned away, angry and cold. “You’re wasting my time,” he said, “Why won’t you confess, Amber? Do you like seeing your sister suffer?”

“I don't know where Julius is, please stop, you'll kill her,” I sobbed.

He turned to Chloe. “You wanted corneas for your experiment, right?”

My blood froze. I felt the ground disappear.

“No,” I croaked. “You can’t. She's just a child —”

He cut me off. “I’m not a monster, Amber, I won’t touch your sister, it’s your mother. That old cow has lived long enough, don't you think? Or will you tell me where my son is now so I can spare her?”

“I didn't take your son, Jason, stop this madness!” I screamed.

“You won’t confess? Fine,” He pulled out his phone and barked an order. “Doctor, prepare the OR. Take her corneas. Start now.”

His men pushed me down a chair and shoved a phone into my face. They showed me a live video feed from the hospital OR.

My mother lay on the table, tubes in her nose, her hand pale under the light. Doctors were preparing instruments. The sound of a monitor beep raced in my ears.

“No! Stop that camera—” I screamed.

I scrubbed at my eyes and pounded on the table. “You can’t do this. Please. She’s sick. You’ll kill her.”

Jason yanked my hair, “Just watch, Amber. Watch what happens when you refuse to cooperate.”

I begged. I shouted. I clawed at their arms. I tried to break free. But my body was weak and the room closed in.

Then a man burst in and yelled, “We found Julius! He’s in one of Amber’s cars. He was locked inside. He’s alive but barely, he almost suffocated.”

Jason spun on him, “Where is he? Bring him here now. Doctor, do everything! Save my son!” Jason roared.

All at once the men and the doctors obeyed him. Nurses rushed away from my phone feed. The live image of my mother’s surgery was cut off. The room emptied. They ran out to save his son.

“Wait!” I cried. “My mother—she—” but my voice was swallowed by the rush of shoes on the floor.

The monitor on my mother’s feed started to falter. I realized in my chest that they had left the surgery mid-cut. The sound went flat in the feed. I watched with bare horror as the line on the monitor slowed.

“No—” I whispered.

I staggered to my feet, banging at the door. “Please! Someone! Come back!”

They did not. The paramedics ran past with Julius. Jason followed them like a shadow.

The live feed showed the operating room in frozen detail. The monitor’s beeps slowed, then paused. The screen went empty.

My mother’s heart stopped. I heard a sound then the flatline. It felt like a punch to the ribs. My legs gave out.

I sank to the floor and could only stare at the lifeless body of my mother on the live feed and the unconscious bruised battered body of my sister before me.

My face went numb. It felt like someone rewired me to nothing. I could not move. I could not breathe. The world had narrowed to one point: my dead mother and my bloody sister.

My phone buzzed. A simple message lit the screen. It was the lawyer. Divorce papers sent. Found a loophole.