~Lucas~
My blood ran cold. Everything else faded into the background—the boardroom, the directors, even my father’s voice as he made a final plea. My grip on the phone tightened, and my heart raced as a flood of emotions surged through me.
Kidnapped. Again.
The words blared in my mind like a siren, drowning out everything else.
I shot up from my chair, startling everyone in the room.
“Lucas?” my father asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
“I need to leave,” I said curtly, already heading for the door.
“Lucas, you can’t leave. This is more than impo—”
“Save me the lecture, Dad,” I snapped, not bothering to glance back.
Evelyn’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. “President Jones, leaving here means you lose your right to vote and to be part of this life-changing develop
