​The sunrise should have brought peace, but instead, it revealed the true cost of the night. The once-majestic estate was now nothing more than blackened ruins, with smoke drifting lazily into the pale morning sky. As firefighters continued spraying water over the smoldering debris, stretchers lined the road, and doctors moved from one rescued child to another. For the first time in years, the children slept without chains.​Selma stood quietly, watching them. One little boy clutched a worn teddy bear a firefighter had found in the rubble, while another little girl refused to let go of Serena's hand. She looked up every few seconds, as if afraid this freedom was only another dream.​Serena knelt beside her, gently brushing the child's hair back. "It's okay," she reassured her. "No one is taking you away again."​The little girl nodded, then whispered, "You promise?"​Serena smiled through her tears. "I promise."​Nearby, Rafael sat inside an ambulance while a doctor stitched the wou

​The leather journal slipped from the young woman's trembling hands, but Rafael caught it before it hit the floor. The instant his fingers touched the worn cover, a flood of memories rushed back. Twenty-five years earlier, four young men had sat around a tiny wooden table. Not three but four. Each possessed impossible dreams, and each believed they could change the world.​Rafael slowly looked up, his voice barely rising above a whisper. "...Ethan."​The young woman's eyes filled with tears. "You remember him."​Samuel stepped closer. "How could I forget?" He gently took the journal from Rafael. "Ethan Brooks. The smartest engineer any of us had ever met."​Victor frowned, looking between them. "You never mentioned a fourth founder."​Samuel sighed heavily, a deep sorrow settling over him. "Because we believed he died."​Silence filled the room. The young woman shook her head, looking at the gathered faces. "He didn't. My father survived. But he spent the rest of his life hiding."​S

​The little boy's bed was still warm. His favorite stuffed bear lay on the pillow, and the blanket had slipped onto the floor. It looked as though he had simply climbed down and walked away.​Selma stood silently inside the hospital room, his jaw tightening. He had promised that child no one would take him away again—and he had failed.​Victor stepped inside, carrying a tablet. "The security footage is ready."​Inspector Morris closed the door behind them. "Show it."​Victor pressed play, and the video displayed the pediatric ward. Nurses hurried between rooms, and doctors spoke quietly with anxious parents. Then, at exactly 10:17 a.m., Agent Daniel Carter appeared. He wore his federal jacket, his badge hung around his neck, and he smiled politely at every nurse who passed. Nobody questioned him.​He stopped outside the little boy's room, knocked once, and opened the door. Three minutes later, he walked out holding the child's hand. The little boy looked calm and trusting. As they r