She paused, uncertain why.
And then she saw it—really saw it.
Her scream rang out so loud, it could probably be heard in the next town.
Chapter 41
Jasper slipped away, feeling like a third wheel.
Jemma was married now.To a prince.
Her new family was made up of sheiks, princesses, and powerful men with titles he barely understood.They lived in a world of influence and elegance, and no matter how welcoming they'd been, Jasper couldn’t help but feel like an outsider looking in.
He was grateful to Saif—deeply so—for sponsoring him at his new school.He’d toured the campus yesterday, met his teachers, even shook hands with his future roommate.The dean had already spoken to him about long-term goals and internships.
He started Monday.And he was almost giddy with anticipation.
But none of that made the sense of loneliness disappear.
For so long, it had been just the three of them—him, Jemma, and Mom.Then Jemma got the big, important job, and it became him and Mom, with Jemma visiting often.After Mom died, it was just him and Jemma and Jayla.Their tiny family had still felt whole.Maybe a little frayed, but whole.
Now everything was changing again.
Soon, he’d go off to boarding school.No more daily playtime with Jayla.No more late-night talks with Jemma about classes, or snacks eaten over homework.He’d see them on school breaks, sure, but… where would he even go for those breaks?
Here?
Maybe.
But what if Jemma and Saif weren’t here?What if they were in Lativa?What if there was some royal function in a different country?
He sighed and wandered out the front door, nodding absently to the two guards stationed there.He couldn’t remember their names—not unusual.With Saif’s father and brother-in-law here, the number of guards had doubled.Maybe tripled.
Tiro was cool, though.Smart and surprisingly down-to-earth.Angela, his wife, was kind and funny.Even Saif’s mom, Helen, had surprised him.Not just a brilliant economic advisor—she was goofy and warm, like the best kind of mom.
But none of them werehismom.
He leaned against the wall that lined the property, staring out at the tree-lined street and the stately homes beyond.Everything here was clean, expensive, and just slightly surreal.It made him feel even more out of place.The past few days had been a whirlwind of activity, and Jemma hadn’t had time for their usual after-dinner conversations.He missed her.
Maybe he just needed a walk.A little air.Some space to think.
He stepped away from the wall.
“Sir,” one of the guards called after him.“Please don’t go too far from the house.”
Jasper waved him off.“Don’t worry.I’m not one of the important people here.”
The guard frowned and murmured something into a mic hidden near his collar.
But Jasper kept walking, head down.
And then— “You’re coming with me,” a low, snarling voice growled behind him.
Something hard jabbed into his ribs.
Jasper froze.
He turned slightly.The man was unfamiliar—shorter than him by a few inches, overweight, with a nasty glint in his eyes.His face was sweaty, and he reeked of bourbon.
