IN DEVIS PALACE – MAIN HALL
Grandfather slammed his hand against the table.
Grandfather: "CALL AMBER RIGHT NOW, STEPHEN!"
Grandmother: "JONATHAN! CONTROL YOUR FATHER!"
Stephen: "WHY AM I INVOLVED?!"
Joseph: "Because you're holding the phone, idiot!"
Stephen looked down. Amber's contact was already open.
His finger slipped.
CALLING… AMBER DEVIS
Joseph: "CUT THE CALL!"
Stephen: "I'M TRYING!"
Too late.
Amber: "Hello. Amber Devis."
Everyone froze.
Even Grandfather suddenly sat properly.
---
IN JUSTIN'S ROOM
Justin sat beside Lauren, thinking.
Justin: "Aunt Lauren… why did Mom leave me?"
Lauren froze.
He had never asked about Amber before. Nobody had dared to discuss her in front of him.
But this Justin was different.
Inside, he was twenty-five. He remembered losing his grandparents, his father, and the family he had once cherished.
He wanted answers.
Lauren: "Justin…"
Justin: "Are you okay?"
He gently patted her hand.
Lauren's eyes softened. She couldn't understand why this child suddenly seemed to carry so much sadness.
---
BACK IN THE MAIN HALL
Amber: "May I know who's calling?"
Stephen immediately pushed the phone towards Jonathan.
Stephen: "Brother! Your turn!"
Jonathan stared at the screen.
Fifteen years.
Fifteen years since he had heard that voice.
Finally, he whispered—
Jonathan: "…Amber."
On the other side, Amber stopped breathing.
Amber: "…Oh my God. Jonathan."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Everyone expected Jonathan to hate her. They didn't understand that his silence came from something entirely different.
He still loved her.
And hearing her voice again had brought back everything he had buried.
---
AMBER'S HOUSE
Lussy was sitting beside Natalie.
Lussy: "I don't want to study at that school anymore!"
Natalie: "Wonderful. Then where do you want to study?"
Lussy: "Somewhere else!"
Natalie: "Very helpful, little madam."
Amber's phone rang.
She answered.
Amber: "Hello. Amber Devis."
Then she heard a familiar whisper.
Jonathan: "…Amber."
Her fingers trembled.
That voice. She could recognise it anywhere.
Natalie noticed her expression and quietly took Lussy away.
Natalie: "Come on. Let's give Auntie some privacy."
Amber remained alone, listening to the man she hadn't spoken to in fifteen years.
---
BACK TO THE PHONE CALL
Stephen: "Sis Amber…"
Amber: "Joseph? Is that you?"
Joseph: "WHY AM I ALWAYS BLAMED?!"
Stephen: "IDIOT! YOU SPOKE!"
Amber sighed.
Amber: "What happened?"
Stephen: "Actually, Justin—"
Amber: "WHAT HAPPENED TO JUSTIN?!"
Both brothers mentally prepared their funerals.
Grandfather took the phone.
Grandfather: "Amber, dear. Can you come and see Justin? He's behaving strangely."
Amber: "Is he hurt?"
Grandfather: "No. But something seems to be troubling him."
Amber: "I'll come, Uncle."
A brief silence followed.
Amber: "Jonathan…"
Jonathan couldn't answer.
Amber: "Bye…"
The call disconnected.
---
MAIN HALL
Jonathan continued staring at his phone.
Then a tear slipped down his cheek.
Another followed.
He was crying silently.
His family had never seen him like this.
For fifteen years, he had hidden his pain behind a cold expression. He hadn't cried when she disappeared.
But one conversation had broken every wall.
Jonathan (thinking): Amber… You still sound the same. Why does hearing you hurt so much?
---
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER – JUSTIN'S ROOM
Justin: "Aunt Lauren, can you tell me about Mom now?"
Lauren: "Ah…"
Justin: "Dad is handsome, rich, and kind. Well, his face looks like he wants to murder everyone, but still! Why would Mom leave him?"
Lauren looked helplessly at Megan.
Lauren: "Megan sister, you explain!"
Megan: "WHY ME?!"
Megan: "Ask your father!"
Justin: "Okay!"
He immediately left.
Lauren stared at Megan.
Lauren: "WHY DID YOU SEND HIM TO JONATHAN?!"
Megan: "Because Jonathan won't let us discuss Amber. Let him explain!"
Lauren: "What if he doesn't?"
Megan: "Then Justin can keep asking."
---
MEANWHILE…
Justin marched down the corridor.
His destination: Father's room.
His mission: Discover why his mother left.
His confidence: One hundred percent.
His knowledge of the emotional disaster downstairs?
Absolutely zero.
Justin (thinking): Dad, we need to talk. You have some explaining to do!
TO BE CONTINUED…