Sydney's largest mall had seen many things.
Flash sales.
Celebrity sightings.
Children crying over spilled ice cream.
But it had never seen a girl wearing oversized mustache glasses walking out of an electronics store like she had just conquered a kingdom.
Ivy hugged the matte black laptop box to her chest with satisfaction.
"Mission accomplished."
She took a long sip of her boba.
"Pearls taste different here," she murmured thoughtfully. "International pearls. Fascinating."
She pushed open the store door and stepped into the busy hallway—and walked straight into someone.
"Oof!"
Her glasses slipped off.
The world sharpened.
The man she collided with caught her shoulders automatically.
"Sorry—"
He stopped.
Because he saw her face.
Chris Marlon froze.
For a moment the mall noise faded into the background.
The girl blinked up at him.
Then frowned.
"My glasses."
She crouched quickly and picked them up before he could react.
She slid them back on, adjusted the fake nose, and looked up again.
Chris was still staring.
Like someone had just walked out of a memory.
Ivy tilted her head.
"…Do I owe you money?"
"No."
"Did I steal your wallet?"
"No."
"Did I run over your dog?"
"No."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
Chris's brain struggled to reboot.
Those eyes.
Older now.
Sharper.
But unmistakable.
"…Sorry," he managed.
Ivy nodded politely.
"Apology accepted."
Then she walked away.
Chris stood there for three seconds.
Then grabbed his phone.
The call connected immediately.
"Mark."
A pause.
Chris turned slowly, watching the ridiculous mustache glasses disappear into the crowd.
"I found her."
Across the mall, Mark Williams stopped walking.
"…Where?"
"Outside the electronics store. Hoodie. Fake mustache glasses."
Mark was already moving.
"Don't lose sight of her."
"I'm trying not to..."
Mark moved through the crowd quickly.
His phone buzzed.
A secure alert appeared.
SYDNEY NETWORK UPDATE
Unconfirmed sighting: Clover twins present in city.
Mark glanced at the message briefly.
So the rumors were real.
The hidden daughters of the Clover family.
No photos.
No confirmed identities.
No public appearances.
He wondered briefly what kind of girls they might be.
Then he locked the screen and continued forward.
Because Chris had said the only thing that mattered.
I found her.
Meanwhile—
Ivy was enjoying the last of her boba when several men in suits appeared in front of her.
Another stepped behind her.
She blinked.
"Well," she said calmly.
"That's new."
One of the men spoke.
"Miss. Please follow us."
Ivy noticed the subtle outline of weapons beneath their blazers.
She finished chewing her pearls.
"And if I don't?"
"Then apologies for our rudeness."
Ivy smiled brightly.
"Oh good."
She handed her empty cup to the nearest guard.
"Hold this."
Then she ran.
Three streets away—
Lucas leaned forward aggressively in his chair, AirPods in, eyes locked on his game screen.
"TARGET SPOTTED!"
Behind him, ten suited bodyguards straightened immediately.
"Push left! Push left!"
Lucas slammed his keyboard.
"GO GO GO!"
The guards exchanged determined looks.
Guard #3 spoke into the comm.
"Target spotted. Moving."
Guard #5 hesitated.
"Sir… are you sure—"
"FINISH HER!"
That was enough.
The guards ran.
Several minutes later, Lucas finally finished his round.
"YES! HEADSHOT!"
He leaned back proudly.
Then removed his AirPods.
His phone buzzed violently.
Dozens of messages flooded the screen.
Guard 3: Target fleeing.
Guard 4: Pursuing.
Guard 6: Entering mall.
Lucas blinked.
"…Target?"
Another message arrived.
Guard 2: She's running.
Lucas went pale.
"…She?"
Then the memory replayed in his head.
"TARGET SPOTTED!"
"FINISH HER!"
Lucas's soul left his body.
"Oh no."
He grabbed his jacket and bolted out the door.
Back in the mall—
Ivy sprinted past kiosks and nearly collided with a giant inflatable kangaroo display.
"Sorry!"
She veered toward the open atrium.
Behind her, dress shoes pounded the floor.
She spotted a decorative playground installation.
Seesaw.
Perfect.
She hopped onto one end.
The guards slowed uncertainly.
Lucas burst into the atrium seconds later.
"IVY!"
She waved cheerfully.
"Oh! You brought friends!"
"GET DOWN!"
"No!"
Lucas jumped onto the opposite end of the seesaw.
Physics gave up.
The impact launched Ivy into the air.
Her glasses rattled violently.
One lens popped out mid-flight.
The fake nose shifted sideways.
And Ivy flew across the atrium.
Straight toward a man who had just entered the scene.
Mark looked up.
A girl was flying toward him.
Actually flying.
He stepped forward instinctively just as she crashed into him.
The impact forced him back half a step.
Arms locked around his shoulders.
Legs wrapped tightly around his waist.
Like a koala clinging to the last surviving tree in a forest fire.
For a brief second, something strange happened.
A warmth spread through his chest where she clung to him.
Then it disappeared.
For a moment the world went quiet.
Her crooked glasses hung sideways.
One lens was missing.
The fake nose dangled from the frame.
She blinked down at him.
He looked up at her.
Those eyes.
The years of searching suddenly felt very short.
"…Where did you come from?" he asked quietly.
Ivy blinked once.
Then answered matter-of-factly.
"I flew."
Behind them the guards hesitated, unsure whether to follow into the chaos.
Lucas skidded into the scene seconds later.
"Get off him! You're in public! Have you no shame?!"
Ivy gasped dramatically.
"I don't even have a nose anymore and you're asking about shame?"
She gestured at Mark.
"I'm in a stranger's arms and you're worried about dignity?"
Lucas pointed accusingly.
"You-"
Ivy patted Mark's shoulder.
"He hasn't complained."
Mark's lips twitched.
Lucas squinted.
"You've gained weight."
"Nonsense," Ivy said calmly. "Water weight."
"That's a lot of water."
"It's not my fault Chloe didn't turn on the dehumidifier."
She gestured proudly at Mark.
"This man clearly works out."
Lucas stared.
"And how exactly are you helping?"
"I'm his trainer."
Mark finally spoke again.
"My trainer didn't say training ended."
Lucas made a strangled noise.
"It's over! Put her down!"
Mark's arms tightened slightly.
"You can't tell me what to do."
Ivy hooked an arm around his shoulder.
"That's right."
Lucas pointed furiously.
"Then tell him to put you down!"
Ivy leaned closer to Mark and whispered.
"Training isn't over yet."
She tapped his shoulder twice.
Light.
Familiar.
"Wanna go for a run?"
Mark didn't hesitate. "I trust your track."
Ivy grinned. "Let's run."
Mark adjusted his grip slightly, steadying her as she clung to him.
He turned. And ran.
Ivy waved happily over his shoulder.
"BAI BAIII!"
Lucas dropped to his knees and dialed a number.
"…I'm reporting a kidnapping."
Mark glanced down at the girl in his arms.
And met her eyes again.
Yes.
Those eyes.
He had searched five years for them.
And somehow…
She had just fallen into his arms.