“”Move, Liam! Get out of the way!””
Leo—the gamer with electric-dyed hair, a designer oversized hoodie, and diamond studs—shoved past the oldest brother without a second thought. His jaw dropped as he took me in: my worn oversized sweater, my tired eyes, and the gigantic, cheap plastic tote sitting between my dusty shoes.
“”It’s her,”” Leo gasped, his voice cracking into full-blown shock. “”Liam, look at her eyes. She has Mom’s eyes!””
Before I could even process what was happening, the tattooed guy beside me choked on his cigarette. “”Wait… Liam Vance? The multi-billionaire venture capitalist? And Leo Vance?!”” He stumbled backward toward his Escalade, his earlier bravado completely evaporating.
Liam, looking impeccably tailored in a charcoal suit, slowly lowered his phone. His composure, known to terrify Wall Street boardrooms, completely fractured. His lower lip quivered. He walked right past the stunned bystander and dropped down to his knees on the dirty sidewalk right in front of me, bringing himself to eye level.
“”Summer…”” Liam whispered, his eyes rimmed in red. “”We looked for you and Mom for fifteen years. Dad’s lawyers told us she vanished without a trace… they lied to us.””
A roar of tires interrupted us as a sleek matte-black sports car screeched onto the precinct curb behind the Maybach. The door flew upward. A man in designer sunglasses and a leather jacket stepped out, effortlessly radiating movie-star charisma. It was Julian—Hollywood’s reigning golden boy. He tore off his glasses, took one look at the scene, and ran over, completely ignoring the LAPD officers and paparazzi who were already pulling out their phones.
“”Is she safe?”” Julian breathed, panting as he arrived at our side. He looked at my battered bag and thin clothes, his throat tightening. “”Where’s Mom, Summer? Is she coming on the next bus?””
A heavy silence fell over the sidewalk.
I clutched the faded strap of my plastic bag, my chest aching. “”Mom… Mom passed away three weeks ago. She told me to find you before she closed her eyes.””
Leo let out a gut-wrenching sob, covering his face with his hands. Julian’s knees buckled, and Liam reached out, his hands trembling as he gently pulled me into a fierce, protective embrace.
“”You’re home now,”” Liam murmured into my hair, his tears soaking through my worn hoodie. “”No more buses. No more cheap motels. Nobody in this family is ever getting left behind again.””
Julian stepped in, wrapping his strong arms around both of us, and Leo threw himself into the huddle, weeping openly on the sunny Los Angeles pavement.
The entire police precinct, the desk officers on the steps, and the tattooed guy in his Escalade watched in stunned silence as three of the most powerful, famous, and untouchable men in California surrounded a girl in a cheap hoodie, treating her like the most precious treasure in the world.
Liam gently picked up my massive red, white, and blue plaid tote bag with his bare hands, completely unbothered by how ridiculous it looked against his five-thousand-dollar suit. Julian opened the Maybach’s door for me, and Leo immediately began clearing off the backseat, demanding to know what my favorite food was so they could buy out an entire restaurant.
As we pulled away from the precinct, leaving the city’s chaos behind, I looked back one last time and smiled through my tears.
I found them, Mom. I’m safe.”
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