My Mute Bride

Amber answered, “Somerset Mountain. Why?”

“Hudson Pharmaceuticals has funded children from Somerset Mountain?”

“Yes, we have been doing it for more than 20 years.”

“How could it be? I remember there wasn’t anyone left after the fire.”

“The fire?” She was slightly stunned. “Justin, how did you know there was a fire in Somerset Mountain?”

A frown came to Justin’s face as he feigned indifference. “It was on the news. I happened to watch it.”

Amber nodded. “Yes, it was exactly because of the fire that the whole mountain was reduced to ashes. I heard someone almost died too. My dad said that there was a hidden village in Somerset Mountain and it was home to some human traffickers. They were trying to escape security checks, so when the fire happened, they couldn’t be rescued on time.”

Justin clenched his fists tighter. “That’s what your father told you?”

“Yes, those traffickers hid in a ditch and the firemen didn’t even know there were people there. They managed to find them in the end, but a little girl almost died in the process.”

“Almost died?”

His expression changed.

“She was burned badly, but she managed to survive. My dad did everything he could to save her by sending her to hospitals all over the country. In the end, she was even sent abroad to receive treatment.”

Amber didn’t manage to finish her words before Justin grabbed her hand to interrogate her, “Where is she now?”

“She… she’s still out of the country.”

“What’s her name?”

“Justin, what came over you?”

“What’s her name?” he repeated.

“Katherine Cooper.” Amber’s features were distorted in pain. “Justin, let me go! What happened to you?”

Justin’s cold face was stiff as he struggled to believe his ears.

Katherine…

Katie…

He was taken back to the Burton Family after the fire twenty years ago. He didn’t have the ability to investigate the matter at first and when he finally rose to position as the president of Burton Group, the landscape had already changed beyond recognition.

years, he had sent people to search all over Somerset Mountain, but he never succeeded in finding even a scrap

she was

died in the fire

arm, his cold eyes burning with determination. “Where

will be attending the charity event this Saturday. If… if you want to see her, you can attend with me

it took a long while for him to calm himself. “I’ll

you.”

car window, signaling that night had fallen over Riverdale like a humongous black cloth that stretched across the entire

retracted her hand and she looked down at the bruise on her wrist-a result of Justin’s

that she had made the absolute right

Justin hadn’t seen in more than 20 years was enough to shake him

from all those years ago, the consequences would be

in Amber’s cold eyes was reflected in the

the investigation bureau,

“Officer Hawkins.”

call me that. I’ve been stripped of my position, so just

can’t do that. The position issue is temporary and

it. Beneath her short haircut, her features were bright and firm. “Any updates on the case that

the case files concerning Somerset Mountain. If I were one second late,

box of files from

to its long history, the box had already yellowed and it reeked

you going to

“To save someone.”

her

to her position and also the confidentiality period, she would’ve given those files to

Justin away from the hospital, he never appeared again for a few

had gone out for walks, Jennifer never

distance away on a few occasions, but Jennifer had always pulled her back to the ward in

closing the door and leaving, Jennifer

food on the tray was almost

“Miss Jennifer.”

voice rang down

just that Mr. Burton has warned me before; if I allow you

Jennifer, I don’t mean it like

“Then…”

is she these

used to, but it’s

folder in Miss Jennifer’s