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.

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

she

even thought she died in the fire

arm,

If… if you want

never answered her as it took a long while for him to calm himself.

you.”

had fallen over Riverdale like a humongous black cloth that stretched across the entire

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

felt that she had made the

seen in more than 20 years was enough to shake him to

Rachel was that very girl from all those

eyes

investigation bureau, a

“Officer Hawkins.”

of my position, so just call me by

issue is temporary and I’ve already acknowledged

up a chair and sat on it. Beneath her short haircut, her features were bright and firm. “Any

the case files concerning Somerset Mountain. If I were one second late, they would’ve been destroyed

the box of files from her

had already yellowed

what are you going to do

“To save someone.”

but her eyes betrayed a

weren’t for the limitations set on her due to her position and also the confidentiality period, she would’ve given

hospital, he never appeared

was stuck in the ward. Even though she had gone out for walks, Jennifer never left

a distance away on a few occasions, but Jennifer had always pulled her

door and leaving,

the tray

“Miss Jennifer.”

voice rang

hastily pulled him aside. “Dr. Peters, it’s not that I refuse to help you. It’s just that Mr. Burton has

Jennifer, I don’t mean it

“Then…”

she

alright. She doesn’t eat as much as she used to, but it’s way better than when she

placed a folder in Miss Jennifer’s hands. “Please pass this to Rae in my