The Speaker's Truth
The car ride from the Private Eye office to Cristina's house was steeped in a heavy, contemplative silence. Amber Ann sat in the passenger seat, her eyes fixed on the passing scenery of Carson City, but her mind was back in that 1950s-style office, dissecting the "rezoning" threat like a complex chemical equation. Beside her, Dan gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. The revelation that the "paternity" he had been agonizing over was a calculated lie from a fertility clinic had stripped away his last shred of guilt—replaced now by a cold, focused protective instinct.
When they pulled into the driveway of Cristina's home, they found both Cristina and David already waiting on the veranda. The air was thick with the scent of jasmine and the low hum of a suburban afternoon, but the tension radiating off Dan and Amber as they stepped out of the SUV cut through the peace.
"By the looks on your faces, Omar had a lot to say," David said, standing up and leaning against the railing.
"More than we anticipated," Dan replied, his voice tight.
They moved into Cristina's spacious, sun-drenched living room. Amber sat on the edge of a plush armchair, her movements precise and elegant, while Cristina hovered nearby, sensing her friend's internal storm.
"The baby isn't mine," Dan stated flatly, his eyes finding Amber's. "And Jessica is working with a city planner and a crooked lawyer to freeze the permits on Blue Serene. She's trying to bury the resort in red tape before it ever has a real chance to succeed."
Cristina gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "That's diabolical. Even for Jessica."
"It's desperate," Amber corrected, her voice low and steady. "She knows she's losing her grip on the Lance name and the Trace fortune. This is her trying to burn the bridge because she can't cross it."
Dan stepped into the center of the room, looking at Amber with an intensity that made the air feel thin. In front of David and Cristina, he dropped his guard completely.
"Amber, I want you to hear this. I am pledging everything I have to help you. My resources, my network, my legal team—they are all at your disposal. I'm going to make sure Christopher Patrick regrets every unsound word he used to deny that loan."
He paused, his chest rising with a deep breath. "But more than that... I want you to know how incredibly proud I am of you. Seeing you stand your ground today, seeing the empire you've built while I was too blind to look—it's staggering. Your accomplishments with your four unique businesses and this resort... you're extraordinary, Amber Ann. I'm honored just to be in the same room as the woman you are – and I am ashamed for never noticing who you truly are and what you're truly capable of."
Amber felt a flush of heat rise to her cheeks. She wasn't used to this Dan—the one who spoke with such raw, public admiration. Before she could find the words to respond, the shrill, demanding ring of Dan's cell phone shattered the moment.
He pulled it from his pocket. The caller ID flashed: JESSICA.
Dan looked at Amber, a predatory glint in his eyes. "You want to hear the queen of selfishness in action?"
Amber nodded firmly. "Put it on speaker."
Dan swiped the screen and set the phone on the coffee table.
"Dan, honey!" Jessica's voice purred through the speakers, sounding sickeningly sweet. "I've been so worried. You haven't answered my texts. The doctor says I need to keep my stress levels down for the babies, you know? It's so hard being at this house all alone while my sister is out there playing 'businesswoman' with your money."
Amber leaned forward, her face a mask of freezing calm. "Actually, Jessica, she's playing 'businesswoman' with her money. And she's doing it quite well."
The silence on the other end of the line was instantaneous and deafening.
"Amber?" Jessica's voice lost its honey, turning sharp and defensive. "What are you doing with my husband? Why are you even there?"
"He isn't your husband, Jessica. He never was," Amber replied, her voice cutting like a diamond. "And we just left a Private Eye. We know about Dr. Shay. We know about the 'unorthodox' methods. We even know about your little friend Karen Sanns at City Planning."
"I... I don't know what you're talking about!" Jessica stammered, her composure fracturing. "Dan, she's lying! She's jealous because I'm carrying your heirs and she's just—"
"Quiet, Jessica," Dan interrupted, his voice a low growl. "There are even recordings of you with Christopher Patrick. I know the truth. Don't ever call this number again. The next person you'll be hearing from is a process server."
Dan ended the call with a definitive snap. The room was silent for a long beat, the Echo of Jessica's panicked breathing still seemingly hanging in the air.
Amber stood up, feeling a strange sense of lightness. The "Need" was still there—the project still faced threats—but the "Answer" was becoming clearer.
"I need to get to work," Amber said, her CEO persona sliding back into place. "If Karen Sanns is filing a proposal, I need my legal team ready by morning."
"I'll be right behind you," Dan promised.
As they began to gather their things, Dan lingered behind for a second. He caught David's eye and pulled out his phone, his thumbs moving with lightning speed as he sent a private text.
Text to David: "I need the names of the two investors who backed out on Amber this morning. Both of them. I'm buying out their shares anonymously. Get it done by tonight. I want her borders secured."
David read the text, looked up at Dan, and gave a single, firm nod. The "Invisible Shield" was being built, and Jessica Lance had no idea that the "Plain Sister" was now protected by a man who had finally learned how to fight for what mattered.