Chapter 1 She's Abandoned

In a desolate warehouse on the outskirts of town, Jolene Brown's terrified cry split through the cold, empty air.

"Ah!" Her voice trembled as hard as her body, tears spilling uncontrollably while she shook like a wind-tossed leaf. "Someone... please help me!"

"Jolene!" Austin Brown, the eldest of the Brown siblings, shouted, panic twisting his features. His fists were tight, and his eyes burned with fury as he glared at the kidnappers. "Let Jolene go! Whatever you want to do, take it out on Kathryn instead!"

"If you lay a finger on Jolene, I swear I'll make sure none of you leave this place alive!" roared Isaac Brown, the second brother, completely losing his calm, his eyes glinting with blood-chilling hostility.

"Name your price!" Jaxton Brown, the third brother, shouted. "Just release Jolene. Kathryn's been nothing but trouble anyway. Do whatever you want with her." His eyes were so bloodshot it seemed they might burst, and every muscle in his body screamed that he was seconds away from lunging at the kidnappers.

Tied to a pillar, Kathryn Brown, their real sister, silently let the tears roll down her face.

She had always known she meant little to the Brown family, but hearing her own brothers so casually offer her up, talking about her as if she were some disposable burden, cut straight into her chest.

She was their real sister, finally reunited with them after so many years, and yet, in the moment it mattered most, they had no hesitation choosing the impostor instead.

She and Jolene had been taken together. But when the kidnappers demanded they pick only one to save, the three brothers instantly chose Jolene, without so much as a pause.

"Poor girl," one of the kidnappers sneered, gripping Kathryn's chin between his fingers. "Your brothers don't give a damn about you."

"Let Kathryn go!" Jolene called out weakly, but Kathryn caught the flicker of satisfaction in her eyes.

In her desperation, Kathryn looked toward the only person she still had faith in-Declan Fulton, her fiance. He stood not far away, poised and refined as always, dressed to perfection.

"Declan," Kathryn whispered shakily, fighting to breathe, her eyes filled with pleading hope that he, at least, would choose her.

But Declan's response was steady and icy. "Since the Browns have already made their decision, I'll follow suit. I choose Jolene as well."

Those words hit Kathryn like a punch to the gut. Could this really be the man she had loved for three whole years? Someone capable of turning so cold? He didn't even hesitate.

Her lips quivered, but she couldn't force out a reply.

She stared at the man whose warmth she once clung to, yet all she saw now was a stranger with a frozen heart. Once, she had nearly died protecting him... And for what? It felt like a cruel joke now.

Declan didn't spare Kathryn even the briefest glance. His entire focus was on Jolene, gently undoing the ropes around her wrists.

But the worst sting wasn't just the betrayal. It was the bitter truth that she had been left in the dark, like a fool, for so long. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

Once Jolene was free, Austin, Isaac, Jaxton, and Declan swarmed her, fussing over her like she was the only one that mattered.

Not a single one spared Kathryn a look; it was as if she didn't exist.

Kathryn just stood there, watching them carefully help Jolene out.

She closed her eyes tightly, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

But when she opened them again, the ugly faces of the kidnappers were right in front of her, their creepy smiles growing wider as they slowly moved closer.

One of them sneered, grabbing her chin roughly. "Look at you! Your own brothers don't want you, but don't worry, we'll look after you just fine. Can you believe they'd pick the changeling over you? Honestly, this whole mess was her idea-planned and paid for just to get rid of you, sweetheart." He laughed darkly before calling to his men, "No need to hurry. One at a time, boys... everyone gets their turn."

Kathryn's eyes snapped wide open, fury igniting her from head to toe.

"Get away!" she spat, struggling fiercely, only to be met with a sharp slap that made her head spin.

"Strong and stubborn, huh?" The scar-faced man sneered, ripping at her clothes. "Exactly the kind I like."

Backed into the corner with no way out, Kathryn could only watch as they circled her. She was tied up tight, completely trapped, and felt hopeless.

Then, just as she lowered her head in grim resignation, maybe even banging it against the wall, a deafening gunshot tore through the silence.

The kidnappers froze, eyes wide with fear, all looking toward where the shot came from.

Suddenly, like shadows, a dozen figures dressed in black stormed inside, lining up perfectly in two rows. The atmosphere instantly thickened with deadly intent.

At their forefront, a tall, commanding man stepped forward smoothly. The dim light caught the sharp lines of his jaw and the cold depths of his eyes, radiating a fierce, chilling presence. A sleek handgun rested in his hand, with smoke curling from the barrel.

"If you want to live, stop right now." The man's voice rang out-deep, magnetic, and utterly unyielding.

The man, Liam Warren, had been tracking traitors nearby, and this scene caught him off guard.

At first, he planned to walk away; betrayals and kidnappings were sadly common in these abandoned places.

However, just as he was turning to leave, a brief glimpse of Kathryn's pale yet determined face caught his attention, awakening a strange sense of familiarity within him.

Without a second thought, he fired.