Chapter 17
Amber recognized that ringtone immediately.
When she first discovered Blake was keeping someone at The Pine Creek Estate, she’d checked his phone and memorized this distinctive tone.
Whatever the caller said turned Blake’s expression murderous. “I understand. I’ll be right there. Start searching now.”
Clearly, the precious “princess” had gone missing again.
Amber had never met this woman. The Pine Creek Estate was crawling with security-she’d never had a chance to get close.
Blake kept his secret deeply hidden. In the beginning, calls from the estate had been frequent. Apparently, this woman had quite the temperament and was chronically ill. Somehow, she always managed to have episodes precisely when Blake finally returned to River Haven-what a remarkable coincidence.
After hanging up, Blake instructed Devon, “Pull over.”
The moment the car stopped, Amber, reading the situation perfectly, opened the door.
Blake’s voice cut like ice. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Amber said nothing. She exited, slammed the door shut, and started walking.
Traffic was light at this hour, and thankfully the street lamps provided decent illumination. Still, a woman walking alone at night couldn’t help feeling nervous.
But that fear was nothing compared to the icy ache in her heart.
After a few steps, she heard a car horn.
Her eyes instantly welled up. She turned around, hope flaring briefly-but it wasn’t Blake’s car. It was Julian’s.
She nearly broke down, furious at herself for that moment of wishful thinking. She wanted to slap herself for still caring.
Julian? What are you doing here?” Her voice caught in her throat.
Julian opened his car door and handed her a tissue. “I was just visiting Grandmother. Why aren’t you with Blake? Never mind-get in. I’ll take you home. There was a mugging in New York just last week. It’s not safe for you to be alone.”
Once inside, Amber felt chilled to the bone, yet strangely calm-more composed than she’d been in ages.
Like Blake, Julian was a workaholic. Both brothers constantly had contracts and documents spread across their laps.
That idiot Blake-how could he let you walk off alone at this hour?”
Amber’s trembling fingers gradually steadied. She forced a smile. “Julian, can we please not talk about him?”
Something flashed in Julian’s eyes. “Sure,” he nodded, repositioning his laptop. “If you’re ever in trouble, just tell me.”
Amber bit her lip, unable to voice what truly troubled her.
She desperately wanted to know who this woman was that Blake kept at The Pine Creek Estate, but after three years, she hadn’t uncovered a single due.
Whenever she dared to ask, Blake’s gaze would turn frigid and mocking, as if she’d touched on some forbidden topic.
The car pulled up to the villa where she now lived. Julian personally got out to open her door.
“Amber, you’ve been holed up at home for years, avoiding every social event. Sometimes I think you need a therapist. A relationship should bring positive energy to your life, not… this. Whatever decision you make, I’ll support you.”
Her chest nightened painfully. Since she was twelve, she’d followed Blake around adoringly. From their struggling days to his rise as a business mogul, now
Dumned My fre King He Crashed to His Kneest
standing as Julian’s equal-fourteen years had somehow slipped by.
She’d never imagined they would end up like this. Never thought there’d come a day when Amber would desperately want to flee from Blake’s side, like escaping a disaster.
She stood there, dazed, barely registering Julian stepping forward to embrace her.
“You’re like a little sister to me. Even if you hadn’t married Blake, you’re still considered a daughter of the Westwood family. Stop letting yourself fall apart like
this.”
To her, this hug contained nothing romantic-purely fraternal comfort. But to anyone watching, it might appear quite different.
(2)
