Chapter 180 K's Shocking Reveal
Amelia told Vaughn to get some rest, her tone firm but gentle. Once he was settled, she stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.
The moment she looked up, she saw Belle sitting quietly on the living room sofa, hands folded in her lap as if she had been waiting for her.
Belle had been rescued several days ago, yet her memories remained a blank canvas. Amelia had assumed that, by now, some trace of her family might have surfaced—a call, a message, anything. But the silence had been absolute.
That kind of silence meant one of two things: either Belle's family did not care about her disappearance, or her home was far from River City. Even if someone was searching, the news might never reach here.
Sometimes Amelia suspected Belle might not even be from Celestria at all.
Her features carried a subtle blend of heritage—her face resembled that of a Celestrian, but the shade of her eyes hinted at foreign blood. The night Amelia had rescued her, Belle had sobbed and whispered that a voice in her head told her she must never go home.
If not for Belle's visible fear about returning, Amelia would have already started searching for her family. But now, with Belle's memory locked away, all she could do was wait—wait for someone to come forward. And only if that person proved trustworthy, someone who would never harm Belle, would Amelia allow her to leave.
Amelia had barely exchanged a few words with Belle when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out instinctively. The screen displayed a number with a Sulien country code.
She recognized it instantly. She had typed it in once two nights ago and committed it to memory.
It was K.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. If K was calling directly, perhaps he had news about Michael's grandmother.
She answered at once, pressing the phone to her ear.
"Ah… my apologies."
The voice on the other end was male, warm with a gentleman's courtesy.
"Bald Eagle, I called without sending a message first. I hope I am not disturbing you?"
His tone was deep, smooth, and carried a magnetic pull—Amelia guessed he was around twenty-four.
She drew in a slow breath. "K?"
As she spoke, she noticed Belle's reaction. The moment the man's voice reached the air, Belle's shoulders gave a sharp tremor.
It was the kind of shiver born from fear, not cold. Her eyes flickered with a trace of panic.
Amelia paused mid-step, covering the mouthpiece with her hand. "Belle, what is it? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No… no."
Belle shook her head quickly, as if even she did not understand why the sound of that voice had made her flinch.
Fragments of shadowed images flickered in her mind—too broken to recognize, but enough to make her temples ache.
"I'm fine. Just felt a chill, that's all." Her voice was soft as she stood. "You talk to your friend. I'll go back to my room."
Only after Belle disappeared behind her door did Amelia lower her hand from the phone.
The man on the other end had clearly overheard.
"Belle? Charming name. Is she your sister?" His tone held a note of curiosity.
"Yes." Amelia did not correct him. Instead, she cut straight to the point. "Did you call because you have news about the matter I asked you to investigate?"
"Call me Jasper," he said with a low chuckle. "The person you wanted me to find—I've located them. I just sent you the address by text."
A spark lit in Amelia's eyes. She opened her messages immediately.
Sure enough, the latest text contained an address. A bar.
Jasper's voice continued. "I wanted to warn you—the people who took your friend's grandmother are members of a mercenary group. They are holed up in an abandoned bar in Sulien."
"These men are dangerous. All of them are armed. If your friend plans to go after them, you had better be prepared."
Mercenaries.
Amelia's breath caught. She knew exactly what that meant. Such groups were often made up of former special forces—men who valued money above life.
They had been hired to take Michael's grandmother from the care facility and keep her locked away in that derelict bar.
To do such a thing to an elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer's… whether it was the one who hired them or the men themselves, it was an act devoid of humanity.
But at least now, Michael's grandmother had a trace.
"Thank you, Jasper." Amelia's voice was steady but edged with resolve. "My name is Amelia Martinez. Just call me Amelia."
"You've done me a great favor. If you ever need me—or if you come to Celestria—you can reach me anytime."
"This is a debt I will not forget."
"Very well, Miss Martinez." Jasper's chuckle carried an undertone she could not quite read. "I believe we will have that opportunity sooner than you think."
Sulien, Brown Rose Manor.
The man at the desk sat with a posture that was both relaxed and commanding. His right leg bent slightly, long fingers lowering the phone from his ear.
Golden hair, faintly curled, framed his face. He wore a lace-trimmed shirt with the elegance of old nobility, paired with tailored black trousers. His pale green eyes were like gems cut from the deepest ocean—beautiful, aristocratic, and dangerous.
His face had the precision of a sculptor's masterpiece, but in the depths of his gaze lay currents of unrest.
"Sir, here is the detailed information you requested—on Bald Eagle, and on Christine, who is currently in Celestria."
A servant had knocked before entering, placing two files on the desk before stepping back respectfully.
Jasper glanced down. On top was a photograph of Amelia standing in the center of a grand banquet hall, alongside several trending screenshots.
The second file held an image of a young woman in a pink dessert shop, her profile partially obscured—his sister, elusive for years.
Two years of searching for Bald Eagle had yielded nothing. He had been ready to abandon the hunt. Then she had reached out to him of her own accord.
And now, the sister who had vanished on a stormy night aboard a ferry was with Bald Eagle.
Coincidence? Or something far more deliberate.
It felt like fate had drawn the lines.
Jasper touched his chin, tapping the marble desk with his fingertips.
His lips curved, and the interest in his eyes was impossible to hide.