A Woman Worth Billions Dated the Wrong Brother novel Chapter 470

Amber POV

The soldiers were still surrounding the castle.

They had been there for more than half an hour, and as far as I could tell, they had accomplished absolutely nothing.

No demands, no attempts to enter, not even a polite knock at the gate.

I supposed that when you arrived with an entire military unit, knocking was considered optional.

I looked down at Jason's message again.

We're out. Everyone is safe.

Those words had brought me more relief than I could describe. For several minutes after receiving them, I had been able to breathe normally again.

But relief was not the same as peace.

My family had escaped the castle, yet they were still in Sum Country, making their way toward a boat that would hopefully take them beyond the president's reach.

Until they crossed that border, I wouldn't feel safe.

I wanted to call Jason. I wanted to hear Alice's voice, ask Alex whether he was behaving himself, and make sure Rose was managing with the twins. More than anything, I wanted to be there, helping instead of waiting for updates.

But calling would only distract Jason.

So I sat in front of the monitors, watching armed soldiers surround our empty home while trying not to imagine everything that could still go wrong.

The president had made his position clear.

He was willing to use military force against my family.

That was something I would neither forgive nor forget.

My phone vibrated.

Another message from Jason.

We're heading toward the boat. I'll contact you through the secure line once we're outside Sum Country's jurisdiction.

I answered immediately.

Be careful. I love you.

His reply came almost at once.

I love you too. I'll keep them safe.

I stared at those words for a moment.

I believed him. Jason would do anything to protect our children, and that was precisely what frightened me.

If someone tried to stop them, I knew he wouldn't hesitate to put himself in danger.

I pushed the thought away and turned my attention back to the monitors.

The soldiers were still standing outside.

Waiting.

Watching.

Apparently unaware that the people they had come for were already gone.

Well, there was no reason to enlighten them.

I opened the castle's remote management system.

A few taps later, the lights in the eastern wing turned on.

Then the kitchen.

Then one of the upstairs hallways.

I waited several minutes before turning the kitchen lights off and switching on the lights in another room.

Emory glanced at my screen.

"What are you doing?"

"Making it look like someone's home."

He stared at me.

"Amber."

"What?"

"You're playing with the lights?"

"Strategically."

He closed his eyes.

I smiled.

"If they're going to waste their time surrounding an empty castle, the least I can do is make the experience convincing."

Emory shook his head.

"Do you seriously think that's going to fool them?"

"I don't need to fool them forever. I just need them to keep believing there's someone inside long enough for Jason to get the children out of the country."

He considered that before glancing at the monitors.

"Fair enough."

"Besides, what else am I supposed to do? Invite them inside for tea?"

"Please don't."

"No promises."

He gave me a look that suggested he was beginning to regret allowing me access to the security system.

I continued adjusting the lights at irregular intervals, careful not to create an obvious pattern. From outside, it would appear as though someone was moving between rooms.

A perfectly ordinary evening.

If one ignored the armed military personnel surrounding the property.

"Have you heard anything from Christian?" Emory asked.

"Not yet. But he has Iris's video."

"Do you think releasing it will help?"

"It might not stop the soldiers, but it will make it harder for the president to pretend this never happened."

"And if he accuses you of terrorism anyway?"

"Then he'll have to explain why he sent armed soldiers to surround a house full of children before making any accusations."