Dael sat at the edge of the guest bed, her fingers wrapped tightly around a warm mug of tea. She hadn't said much since she'd woken up that morning. The bruises beneath her eyes had faded only slightly, and her voice was still hoarse when she asked Siena if she could borrow a sweater.
"Of course," Siena said gently, handing her one from the folded stack. "Take whichever feels warmest."
Dael gave a small nod. "Thanks."
She didn't say more, but she didn't need to. Siena had seen it all before. The way people looked when they were holding the weight of what had been done to them, unsure how to step back into a world that had moved on without them.
From the hallway, Alexander watched quietly. He didn't interrupt. Just leaned on the doorframe, eyes shadowed with guilt and something heavier—something closer to regret.
"She's not the same," he murmured when Siena came to stand beside him.
"She's alive," Siena whispered back. "That's enough for now."
Alexander's jaw clenched. "It's not enough. It shouldn't have happened. And I should've been there."
Siena turned to face him. "You didn't fail her. The people who took her—who paid to keep her hidden—those are the ones who failed her. You didn't stop looking."
"I stopped hoping," he admitted. "For a while, I thought maybe she was gone."
Siena placed a hand on his chest. "But you still kept going. And that's what matters."
Alexander closed his eyes for a long moment, breathing deeply, grounding himself in her touch.
From the guest room, Dael's voice broke the silence. "Can I go outside?"
Both of them looked over.
Siena stepped in gently. "If you feel up to it."
"I just… I need air," Dael said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Alexander grabbed a jacket. "Come on. We'll go together."
---
The rooftop garden wasn't much—just a few rows of potted plants, a bench, and a narrow view of the skyline. But it was quiet.
Dael stood by the railing, staring out at the morning city traffic. Siena sat beside her on the bench, sipping coffee, while Alexander lingered just far enough to give his sister space.
For a few minutes, none of them spoke.
Then Dael exhaled shakily. "I was scared every day."
Alexander looked at her.
She didn't turn to him, just kept her eyes on the sky.
"Some days, I thought I was going crazy. They told me I was sick. That no one was coming."
"I'm so sorry, Dael," he said. "If I could trade places—"
"You can't," she cut in gently. "And I don't want you to. I just… I need time."
Alexander nodded. "Take all the time you need."
Siena broke the tension. "You're not alone, Dael. We'll help you through this."
Dael finally looked at her. "Why did you help? You barely knew me."
Siena smiled softly. "You mattered to him. And now you matter to me too."
Dael looked at both of them. Her eyes, though tired, held a flicker of something brighter. Trust, maybe. Or the beginning of it.
---
Later that afternoon, Reeve arrived with folders—thick ones—filled with evidence. He spread them out on the dining table, flipping through them like cards at a high-stakes game.
"This," he said, holding up a photo, "is Daniel Mercer. Head of investment relations at Whitestone Holdings. Dael named him. He signed off on one of the transfers to the facility."
Siena leaned in. "What about motive?"
Reeve shrugged. "Silencing Dael was easier than letting her speak. From what I gather, she knew something. Maybe she overheard a deal she wasn't supposed to."
Alexander rubbed his forehead. "She worked in the acquisitions office. She handled contracts all the time."
"She did," Dael confirmed quietly from the couch. "And I saw one with Whitestone's name on it. It was odd—way too much money for something vague. I flagged it for review. The next day, I was... taken."
Reeve glanced at Alexander. "She became a threat. So they erased her."
"And now?" Siena asked.
"Now we put the spotlight back on them."
---
The next few days moved slowly.
Dael had good moments—when she laughed softly at a silly joke Siena made or asked for second helpings at dinner. But the nights were hard. The first one, Alexander had found her curled up in a corner of the living room, shaking and crying in her sleep.
He carried her back to bed like he used to when she was little. Didn't say a word. Just tucked her in and stayed beside her until she fell asleep again.
By the third night, she was sleeping better.
Siena noticed the difference most in Alexander. The man who once stormed into rooms with heat and sharp edges now walked with quiet restraint. He listened more. He asked questions. He checked in.
One morning, after Dael had gone out for a walk with Reeve, Siena stood by the kitchen counter and said, "You're changing."
Alexander looked up from his tablet. "Is that a good thing?"
She nodded. "A needed thing."
He came around the counter, pulling her into a hug. "You're part of that."
They stood like that for a while, just breathing in the moment.
---
Later that week, Alexander received a call from his legal team.
"They want a meeting," he told Siena as he hung up. "Whitestone's lawyers. They're panicking."
Siena raised an eyebrow. "So we hit a nerve."
"They offered to settle. Quietly. Make it all disappear."
"And?"
"I told them to shove it."
Siena grinned. "That's the Alexander I know."
"I want them exposed, Siena. Every single person who signed a check or looked the other way."
"We will," she said. "Together."
Dael appeared in the doorway just then. Her hair was combed back neatly, and she wore one of Siena's sweaters with a pair of jeans that didn't quite fit but looked good enough.
"I'm ready," she said.
Alexander frowned. "For what?"
"To speak," Dael said. "To the press. To the board. To the people who thought I'd disappear and stay gone."
Siena smiled at her. "Are you sure?"
Dael nodded. "I have to be. For me."
---
The press conference was arranged within three days.
Reeve pulled strings to ensure safety and keep things controlled. Alexander used his influence to book a neutral venue and block any attempts at sabotage. Siena helped Dael rehearse, sitting beside her late into the night, going over every sentence.
"You don't have to be perfect," she told her. "Just be honest."
Dael nodded. "I can do that."
The morning of the conference, Alexander drove Dael to the venue himself. They didn't speak much during the ride.
Just before she stepped out, Dael looked at him.
"Thanks for not giving up."
His throat tightened. "Thanks for surviving."
She smiled and walked in.
---
When Dael stood in front of the cameras, she looked like a different person.
Still tired, still healing—but no longer afraid.
"My name is Dael Knight," she began, her voice clear. "And I was silenced. But not anymore."
Siena and Alexander watched from backstage, side by side.
She spoke of the facility. The threats. The silence. The names.
And when she was done, the room was silent before the first round of applause broke out.
It wasn't just approval.
It was a victory.