The tension in the room was so thick and hot it could be cut with a knife, and Jane swore there was murder within the Princeton brothers’ eyes. They all stood there with their imposing stance, questioning the staff about a woman. Jane was pretty sure that particular woman they were inquiring about was her friend Sakura. Why, she wasn’t sure. She just knew she had to get the whole story out of Sakura tonight. That was if she managed to get out of this inquisition alive.

Thank God she’d managed to hide Sakura’s bag from the brothers before she was being herded—yes, there was no other word for it—the staff had been herded by the head of the Princeton Group himself, Mr. Nicolas Princeton, into this very large conference room.

Now she stood there, gazing up at the tall CEO, telling herself not to faint in front of him, or everyone else for that matter. Then there was her brother Luke, who was on the other side of the room, his arms folded across his chest, watching her.

On the opposite side stood the brooding Darcy. He looked angry and very likely wanted to kill somebody. Next to him was Hayden with his arms folded across his broad chest. On the sofa next to Mr. and Mrs. Princeton was Conrad, the youngest of the brothers, who looked very upset. Then there were Logan and Tristan. They were usually very jolly and happy. But at this very instant, they wanted to punch someone’s face.

“Are you sure you haven’t seen her?” Nicolas asked Jane again. “After the show?”

Jane swallowed, asking God to forgive her for her lies. “No, sir. I haven’t.”

“She gave you her shoes, did she?” Sebastian’s voice boomed at her.

Jane swallowed again and glanced at her brother for assistance. Luke only sighed and shrugged his shoulders. No help there, she thought miserably.

“No, sir. I mean, yes, sir. She did, but that’s only because I work backstage. She told me to take the shoes back.” Again, she prayed to God for forgiveness.

Akira, who was sitting on the other side of the room, finally stood and said loudly, “Mr. Princeton, I would appreciate it if you let us all leave now. It appears none of us know who this girl is. We’re tired. And all this”—she spread her arms out at the scene before them—“is baka! It’s useless.”

Nicolas turned his eyes to the woman he’d bumped into. He raised his brows as if it were only then he saw her. This annoyed Akira and she wanted to slap him in the face.

Nicolas cocked his head to one side and said, “It is not useless, Miss—”

“Akira,” Akira supplied coldly. “And besides, shouldn’t you be reporting this to the police? Surely, you’re not a detective yourself? I mean, that girl had Oba-chan’s necklace, for God’s sake. It’s worth in the millions. Why aren’t you worried about that? It seems to me all you’re worried about is that girl.”

Tara made herself noticed then by saying, “She’s a criminal. She has stolen a designer gown and a priceless necklace.”

“Sakura is not a thief!” Darcy said coldly. His eyes were so dark that Tara felt a lump form in her throat.

Alaina snapped, “How do you know she’s not a thief? For God’s sake, Darcy, see her for who she really is.”

Conrad looked at his sister and said coldly, “Sakura is nothing like that, and you know it, Alaina.” He wanted to say it was her fault Sakura ran away in the first place but refrained himself by stalking out of the room. He was shaking from head to toe. They’d been so close. So very close, and Conrad was very, very pissed and upset they couldn’t manage to prevent Sakura from leaving them again.

The mention of the name Sakura and the look on the brothers’ faces caused Sosuke to turn to look at his aunt. He noted the paleness on her face and wondered if perhaps—

No, it couldn’t be. The very idea was impossible. This world, however, though large, could be quite small. Perhaps, just perhaps, this Sakura was the Sakura Aunt Haruka was looking for? Perhaps this Sakura was Haruka’s biological daughter? Yes, he could see it now. The light in her eyes, as if she’d found a precious belonging she’d always been searching for. And then the darkness that she’d lost it again.

He, too, noticed the moment Sakura stepped onto the catwalk during the fashion show. He noted how Haruka stiffened, as if she’d seen a ghost, and then she stood, her hand at the base of her throat, tears in her eyes. Sosuke wasn’t blind. He knew and he felt it in his blood. Sakura was Haruka’s biological daughter. And come hell or high water, he was going to get them together.

Thus, he turned to the blond with glasses now and gave her a hard look.

“You work for Mr. Tachibana, don’t you?” he asked Jane.

Jane nodded nervously. At that moment, Jane noted three things about Sosuke that made her think naughty thoughts. He was Asian. He was hot. He was ruthless. And he made her want to kiss him.

Jane bit her lip and told herself to concentrate on the situation at hand. “Yes, sir?”

Sosuke frowned and nudged his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “A question or a statement?”

Jane didn’t know her answer came out as question instead of fact. “I mean, yes, sir, I work for Mr. Tachibana.”

“Then you must have the list of the models?”

Jane opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

“Err,” Ms. Ruka said with her hand raised to get everyone’s attention. “That’s my job. I’m so sorry, Sosuke,”—she turned to Nicolas—“Mr. Princeton, but you see, she isn’t our model. I mean, we didn’t hire her. She was a replacement we found at the last minute.”

Tristan looked heavenward in frustration. “And how the heck did you manage to get a model you didn’t know to model for you?”

“It was my fault,” Mr. Tachibana said. He sighed depressingly. “She looked so lovely. I just couldn’t help myself. I mean, she was a piece of art. She was perfect. How was I supposed to know she meant to steal?”

This time it was Logan who looked heavenward with frustration. “For the love of God! How many times do we have to say it? Sakura isn’t a thief.”

“She’s as saintly as a nun,” Tristan said.

Haruka decided to speak up then. “This Sakura, what is she to you?” She posed this question to all the brothers at large.

It was Sebastian who said, “She was our adopted sister.”

Haruka swallowed. Her hand tightened on her lap. She was about to ask more questions when Brenda finally said, “We adopted her from the orphanage.” She wiped her tears with a tissue and sighed. James pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight.

“Orphanage?” Haruka asked.

James nodded. “Queen Mary Orphanage on St. Joseph Island.”

It was then that Haruka began to shake uncontrollably. Sosuke noticed and said at large, “I’m only too happy to help find your sister.”

Nicolas turned to his friend. “Thanks.”

It was a while later, once they got back to the apartment, that Haruka let herself loose and cried her heart out. Alone in her room, she sobbed, with happiness and with sadness. She couldn’t believe it. Just couldn’t believe that finally, after years of endless searching, she had found Sakura.

She was the girl on the catwalk, wearing Mr. Tachibana’s gown and her priceless necklace. A necklace she herself had painstakingly designed for her own daughter. One would say it was fate, and Haruka truly believed in that. Fate had brought her here. Fate had finally allowed her to meet her beloved Sakura.

More tears welled in her eyes. “I’ve finally found you.”

* * * * *