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As soon as day breaks, my family and I call a press conference to announce that Elmira Petrov is missing.

“We’re offering a reward of fifty million dollars for any information regarding her whereabouts,” Aleksei says into the mic, staring directly into the cameras. “And to the person responsible for this…” His voice turns glacial. “We’re going to find you, and you’re going to pay.”

He steps back from the podium as camera flashes explode around us and the reporters begin shouting their questions over one another.

“Where was she last seen?”

“Do you have reason to believe she was kidnapped?”

“Could she have run away?”

Mom sobs beside me. Grace already has her arms around her—her own face wet with tears. How is she crying this hard when she only met Mira last night?

I stare at her for a moment, numb with exhaustion, then I get to my feet and head for the podium, picking up the mic. “Elmira was taken. There’s no doubt about that. But whoever took her has yet to make contact.” I look straight into the nearest camera. “I’m giving you forty-eight hours to tell me what you want. After that, all bets are off. I will find you.”

And I will destroy you. I don’t say it out loud. I don’t need to. Judging by how a reporter in the front row takes a wary step back, my meaning comes across loud and clear. Aleksei gives my shoulder a firm squeeze before we leave the podium. Whoever has Mira will see this footage. What he does next is up to him. But this is war.

I make my way back to Mom and Grace. Melani has joined them, holding Mom’s arm on the other side. As they rise to leave, I rest my hand against the small of Grace’s back, needing the contact to remain grounded. Needing her close to keep myself from spiraling into the kind of fury that won’t help anyone find my sister.

“Who’s the beautiful redhead? A friend of Elmira’s?” one reporter calls after us.

I stop.

Turning just enough to meet his gaze, I answer without hesitation. “She’s mine.”

EPILOGUE

GRACE

It’s been two weeks.

Two long, agonizing weeks.

I only knew Mira for a few hours, but her disappearance still hurts, dredging up memories of when Millie went missing. Except this time, no one has reached out. Not a single ransom call. No blackmailer in an alley. Nothing but endless, suffocating silence.

And that’s the cruelest part.

Nobody knows where she is, who has her, or if she’s okay. Nothing. If I’m feeling this helpless, I can only imagine what Dimitri, her twin, and the rest of her family are going through.

He barely sleeps four hours a night. He leaves the house before sunrise and comes back long after dark, looking disheveled and exhausted, sometimes with bloodstains on his clothes. But every day he returns, he looks more defeated than the last. Because with every passing hour, the already cold trail grows colder—and finding her becomes harder.

“She’ll be fine. She’s strong.” Millie rubs soothing circles over my back. “You told me her brothers taught her self-defense. And she’s the Petrov family’s Jewel. I heard her called that at the clinic. She’s valuable. Whoever has her wouldn’t hurt her… I think.”

“I hope so.” I really hope so.

The sound of cars pulling into the driveway grabs our attention.

“He’s back early today,” Millie comments, glancing toward the front door.

My heart squeezes, hoping that means there’s good news. I hate seeing Dimitri so wrecked.

I get to my feet and head for the front door just as it’s wrenched open. Dimitri fills the doorway, looking larger than life, his eyes wild, red stains smeared across his collar and sleeves.

Usually, when he comes home like this, he disappears into the bathroom, where he spends forever scrubbing himself clean. This time, he comes straight to me and grabs my hands. “Let’s get married.”

I inhale sharply. Of everything I expected him to say, that wasn’t on the list. “What?”

His grip tightens. “I can’t imagine a future without you in it anymore, Grace. I don’t want to. And this situation with Mira has made that painfully clear. I wouldn’t survive losing you. I wanted to wait for the right time, but there might not be one anytime soon, and I can’t bear to wait any longer.”