“She’s the detective in charge of the human trafficking case,” Ivy explained, then answered the call. “Hello, Gallagher, this is Ivy Windsor.”

“Miss Windsor, we have some progress on the Silverfen case. We’ve found evidence that two more abducted women are being held there. But when our officers went out to search, they couldn’t find any trace of them. From what we’ve gathered, the village has lookouts—whenever the police show up, they hide the women somewhere in the mountains. The area is huge, and our team has spent days searching with nothing to show for it. I was hoping you could help. You lived there for three years—were you ever taken into the mountains?”

Gallagher’s voice was tight with urgency. He needed to know if Ivy had ever been hidden away, if she might remember the paths or hiding spots the villagers used.

The question stopped Ivy cold. Jagged fragments of memory, long buried, suddenly surfaced.

Jamison was still holding her, arms wrapped protectively around her shoulders. They were standing face to face, close enough that he could hear every word coming from Gallagher on speaker.

He saw the color drain from Ivy’s face, her features turning rigid and pale. His heart sank with the realization.

“Ivy? Hey, Ivy?” Jamison gently shook her arm, his voice soft.

She blinked rapidly, coming back to herself, and remembered Gallagher was still waiting on the line.

“Gallagher, I… I was taken into the mountains four times. Twice I was drugged and passed out, the other times they blindfolded me. I can’t remember the exact routes, but I do remember where they kept us.”

“That’s incredible! Can you tell me in detail—where exactly did they hide you?” Gallagher sounded almost breathless with hope.

“There’s a cave. It’s got enough supplies for a couple of people to last a week or so. It’s well-stocked—bedding, food, water.”

“And do you remember where the cave is?”

Ivy hesitated. “Not exactly. The mountains there are enormous… but once, I tried to escape. I was on the run for half a day, so I remember a little of what’s around the area.”

Chapter 300

The landscape around Silverfen was a tangled sprawl of hills and forests. Unless you’d lived there for years or had a local guide, it was hopeless to navigate. Ivy had done her best, using every bit of knowledge and instinct she had, but in the end, she’d gotten lost and they’d dragged her back.

Gallagher fell silent, weighing her words. Ivy could sense his uncertainty. She knew what he wanted to ask, but he hesitated.

“Miss Windsor, I have a difficult request. If you’re willing, would you come with us to Silverfen? I promise, you’ll have full protection—no one in the village will know we’re coming, and we’ll have enough officers to keep you safe. This would make a huge difference.”

He paused, then quickly added, “Of course, if you don’t want to, we’d never force you. Just… consider it.”

Jamison’s face was grave as he fixed his gaze on her, silent.

Privately, he wanted nothing more than for Ivy to refuse. Returning to that place would be like tearing open half-healed wounds and pouring salt inside.

But then, there was the other side—saving lives, doing what was right. Ivy, more than anyone, understood the misery and hopelessness those women felt. As a citizen, she had a duty to help stop the traffickers. As a survivor, she knew exactly what was at stake.

This was courage. This was justice.

Ivy’s hand shook around her phone. She was quiet for a long moment. “Gallagher, can I have a couple of days to think about it?”