He knew!

Aiko’s hands trembled as she raked them through her sweat-damp hair, her mind whirling as she struggled to process this devastating new development. She had become accustomed to the relative peace and stability of her life with the Hendersons and had allowed herself to relax her guard and indulge in the fantasy that she could outrun her past indefinitely. A thunder crackling and the dimming afternoon light reminded her she was also a force to be reckoned with. Uncle Hiroto trained her well, and she would be ready for Jack. She closed her eyes, and his chilled face stared back with those hungry eyes. She let out a yelp.

Wait… slow down, Aiko… breathe.

She took stock of everything she knew about Uncle Jack. Judging from Annabelle’s comments, he was in prison. He’s Mrs. Henderson’s brother, or is he? Aiko rolled back from the contentious conversation she’d had with Jack.

“Two outsiders who’ve been taken in by a family, not our own,” he had said.

Jack’s arrival had been a little too coincidental. Just when Paige lost Aiko and access to her inheritance, what about the plans she found in Paige’s study? No, things weren’t adding up. She sat on the floor and forced herself to breathe in the sweet smell of the afternoon rain.

Something’s not adding up. I need to be on guard around Jack.

Aiko’s heart pounded in her chest, which wasn’t from the workout. She forced herself to close her eyes and squeeze out anything but her meditation lessons. Aiko drew in a ragged breath as she fought to regain her composure. She could not afford to surrender to despair, not now. Jack might have uncovered something about her—or not, but she refused to allow him to weaponize her fears. She was more substantial than that, more resilient than the broken child who had endured the unimaginable horrors of finding murdered parents.

Focus on the breathing.

Her uncle’s teachings echoed in her mind, a lifeline anchoring her amidst the churning sea of turmoil.

“The mind is the most powerful weapon,” he had said, his voice a steady, grounding force amidst the chaos. “Master it, and you can overcome any obstacle, any adversary.”

Aiko latched onto those words, allowing their wisdom to steady her racing pulse and quiet the frantic whirl of her thoughts. She drew another breath and exhaled in a slow, controlled stream.

When she opened her eyes again, she found her mind focused and her earlier panic gone. Jack might have dealt her a devastating blow, but she would not allow him to revel in her anguish and uncertainty. She was Aiko Takahashi—survivor, warrior, master of her own destiny. And she would face Uncle Jack with the same unflinching resolve that had carried her through every other trial and tribulation life had thrown at her.

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Let’s see if Emma is back.

Aiko pushed herself to her feet, made her way out of the barn, and headed toward the house. Rain pelted her skin, which hardened her resolve. His intimidation tactics would not cow her. Not now, never. A deafening crackling sound made her jump. The storm was getting closer. As she climbed the stairs to the front porch, something she had not heard in a long time filled the air—laughter. She opened the door and stopped as she caught sight of the festive decorations adorning the living room.

What’s going on here?

A surprise party, by the looks of it—though for whom Aiko couldn’t fathom. A group of people, several of whom she didn’t know, were talking and holding cups and wearing party hats. Her steps slowed as a tendril of unease snaked through her, Jack’s earlier threats still fresh in her mind. Aiko scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of her enemy amidst the jovial throng. She found him at last, lounging in a chair with a bottle dangling from his fingertips, that ever-present smile curving his lips as he held court over a captive audience of giggling neighborhood girls.

“Aiko! There you are!”

She turned to find Emma waving her over.

“We were worrying you’d miss your own party,” she said.

“My... party?” Aiko echoed, the words feeling foreign on her tongue.

Emma’s smile widened as she nodded, gesturing to the festive scene around them.

“Well, yeah! Can you believe Mom pulled this all together?” She shook her head in an exaggerated show of amazement. “I swear, that woman has superpowers in party planning.”

Before Aiko could respond, a whirlwind of well-wishers and enthusiastic greetings swept her up. Neighbors and family friends she’d never met pressed in from all sides, offering hearty handshakes and warm embraces as they welcomed her into the fold.

My birthday isn’t today!

Aiko stood in stunned silence, nodding and murmuring polite thanks as the onslaught of good cheer washed over her in a dizzying wave. The crowd parted to reveal Mrs. Henderson, beaming with a radiant smile as she swept Aiko into a fierce embrace.

“Happy birthday, dear,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion as she pulled back to frame Aiko’s face between her palms. “We may have missed the day, but I wanted to ensure you felt welcomed.”

“You didn’t miss—it’s next week,” Aiko said.

She got the words out. A warm glow enveloped her as she marveled at the unexpected kindness given to her.

“Well, then that makes me happy, Aiko, your family. And that’s all that matters.”

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, blurring her vision as a swell of emotion rose in her throat. The Hendersons had every reason to regard her with suspicion, to question her presence among their ranks. Yet here they were, embracing her as one of their own, showering her with the sort of love and acceptance she had long since resigned herself to never knowing again.

This reminder that family extended beyond the bounds of blood and genetics was almost too much. Shared experiences and an unspoken bond that transcended biology.

Aiko blinked, struggling to compose herself as she met Mrs. Henderson’s affectionate gaze.

“Thank you,” she managed, at last, her voice little more than a tremulous whisper. “I don’t know what to say...”

Mrs. Henderson’s smile softened as she squeezed Aiko’s shoulders.

“You don’t need to say anything, dear,” she murmured. “Just know that you’ll always have a place here with us. Your family now.”

The words carried a weight that resonated deep within Aiko’s soul, soothing the lingering ache of Jack’s cruel insinuations. This was her family, these wonderful, caring people who had opened their hearts and homes without reservation or judgment.

No matter what secrets lurked in her past or what Jack had in store, she would cling to this happy moment. The Hendersons saw and accepted her in a way that no one else outside her family had.

And she would be damned if she allowed Jack Moran to jeopardize that hard-won sense of belonging.