“Someone reported that we took the children from the airport by force.”

“That is a lie,” I said.

“The police officer at the gate saw us take them.”

“It does not matter,” Ryker said.

“Hannah has to investigate every claim.”

“She is coming back tomorrow morning with a supervisor.”

He set his mug down with a hard click.

“If we do not have Clara Vale by then, they might take them to a state shelter.”

I stared at him, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

A state shelter would be a disaster for kids who had already been abandoned once.

Suddenly, Ryker’s personal phone on the counter lit up.

It vibrated against the marble, a harsh, buzzing sound.

He picked it up, his brow furrowing as he unlocked the screen.

“What is it?” I asked.

He didn’t answer right away.

He turned the screen toward me.

It was a notification from a major Chicago news outlet.

The headline was flashing in bold red letters.

My stomach dropped as I read the first line.

“Billionaire Ryker Steel Accused of Abducting Orphaned Twins at O’Hare.”