Zayden nodded slowly, following her thoughts. "Right..."
"But when Michael kidnapped us two years ago and held us in that warehouse in the U.S., he never mentioned Dad. He never brought up our father, never used him against us, and never even hinted that he knew about the connection."
Aylin stopped pacing and turned to face Zayden, her golden-brown eyes blazing with intensity. "Why? Why wouldn't he use that information?"
That question hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning.
Zayden's mind raced through possibilities. "Maybe he didn't know at the time? Maybe he found out after he took you?"
"Then how did he get those photos?" Aylin shot back right away. "The pics clearly showed us with Dad. If he had those, he had to know there was a connection. Those weren't just random family pictures; they were clear enough for him to recognize us."
"Unless someone else handed him the pics without the full story,"
