Chapter 3 No.3

The world seemed to stop. The sneer on Neil's face melted into pure shock as he turned towards the voice.

Brianna didn't need to look. She knew that voice. Cold, commanding, and dripping with authority. It was the voice of Caleb Owen, the richest and most powerful man in Ironvale.

Neil's face went pale as a ghost. He recognized the man standing by the sleek black car immediately. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Caleb Owen? His mind raced. Did he just call Brianna his daughter?

Brianna watched it all unfold, her heart a cold, still stone in her chest. She remembered this moment from her past life. Back then, she had been terrified and confused. Now, she was just waiting for the script to play out.

Before she could speak, another figure rushed from the car.

A woman, elegant and beautiful even with her face streaked with tears, ran towards her and pulled her into a tight, warm embrace. The scent of expensive perfume surrounded her.

"My sweetheart! My baby girl!" the woman cried, her voice breaking. "We've finally found you! I'm your mother."

Brianna let herself be held. She looked into the face of Abbie Baker-her real mother. The woman's features were delicate, her eyes shining with what looked like real joy and sorrow.

Abbie cupped Brianna's cheeks with soft hands. "I'm your mother," she repeated, her words tumbling out. "There was a terrible mistake at the hospital. You were swapped with another baby. We only just found out. We've been searching for you everywhere. I'm so, so sorry we weren't there for you."

Brianna knew the words were sincere right now. In this moment, Abbie's grief and hope were real. But the memory of another Abbie, a colder, harsher woman, was sharper. She heard the echo of her mother's voice from her past life: "Why are you always targeting Cassie? You've gone too far! Your father and I never should have brought you back!"

A bitter taste filled Brianna's mouth. That pain, that betrayal, was fresh. It hardened her heart. She would never again be the naive girl who craved their love.

Abbie seemed confused by Brianna's cold silence. She gave a frustrated sigh. "I know this is a lot. We'll have time to learn about each other. Please, come home with us. Your real home."

Nearby, Neil was still staring, his brain finally putting the pieces together.

Brianna was an Owen. A real one! She was going to be rich. Unbelievably rich. And powerful.

Neil recalled he had just tried to sell her to pay off a debt. Fear, mixed with a sickening greed, washed over him.

Caleb took a step forward, his fiery gaze shifting from Brianna to the men surrounding her. He didn't raise his voice, but it carried like a whip crack. "Leave. Now."

That was all it took. Neil, Cody's men-they didn't need to be told twice. They scattered into the night, not daring to argue with the most influential man in the city.

Brianna watched them go. She was safe for now. But she knew Cody. He wouldn't let this go. His pride was wounded from her attack.

Going with the Owens wasn't just about going home; it was about gaining protection. It was about gaining power.

Brianna put on a mask of her own. She let her eyes go wide with shock and confusion. She looked from Abbie to Caleb as if seeing them for the first time.

"I... I'm your daughter?" she whispered, making her voice tremble. "Really?"

Abbie nodded. "Please, come home with us. We'll compensate you."

Brianna pretended to be lost in thought. At last, she murmured, "I... I'll go with you."

She let them lead her to the luxurious car. She sat in the back seat, sandwiched between her biological parents. The leather was soft and smelled new.

Abbie tried to fill the silence. "So, honey... tell us about yourself. What was your life like? Were you... happy?"

Brianna looked down at her lap, at her own worn-out clothes. She shook her head slowly, letting a single, perfect tear roll down her cheek. "It... it was hard. I don't really want to talk about it."

The car went quiet. Her parents exchanged a look of pity and guilt. They didn't ask any more questions.

Brianna closed her eyes, pretending to nap. But her mind was wide awake, cold and sharp as a blade.

She was being taken to the Owen mansion. She was about to walk back into the lion's den. Cassie was waiting for her there.

"I'm ready. Everything she took from me, everything she stole, I will take it back. And I will make her pay for every second of pain," Brianna thought, a silent vow in the darkness behind her eyelids.

Meanwhile, Neil found Cody at the door of the club. The man was holding a dirty cloth to the back of his head, which was still bleeding from Brianna's blow. His face was twisted in rage.

"That little witch..." Cody snarled. "I'll teach her a hard lesson!"

"Mr. Gordon, maybe we should let this go," Neil said nervously. "Her real father... that's Caleb Owen. He's not someone we can mess with."

Cody spat on the ground. "I don't care who her daddy is! No one does that to me and gets away with it. I will have her. I will make her pay for this." He winced in pain. "I need to get to a doctor. But this isn't over, Neil. You're going to help me. We'll find a way to get her."

Unknown to any of them, a man stood by a large window on the second floor of the club. Ethan Davis had watched the entire scene on the street below-the chase, the confrontation, the dramatic rescue.

A slow smile spread across his face. He took a sip of his whiskey.

"Now, that was interesting," he murmured to himself.

His friend, Harvey Fletcher, joined him at the window, looking bored. "What is? Some street drama?"

"That young woman," Ethan said, his eyes glinting with amusement. "She has a fiery temper. She stood up to Cody's men and was taken away by the Owens couple."

Harvey shrugged, unimpressed. "Sounds messy. Did you locate the item we're looking for? That's what actually matters."

Ethan's smile didn't fade. He turned away from the window. "As a matter of fact, the trail seems to have gone cold. But the rumors appear to be true. I believe the item we seek is currently staying with the Owens."

Harvey's eyes glinted with intrigue. The situation was becoming far more interesting than he'd anticipated.