Chapter 2
"I don't believe you." My voice came out dry and rough.
"You need time to accept it."
Emily turned and walked into the kitchen to start making dinner. She didn't seem to care about my reaction at all, like she was stating a fact that had nothing to do with her.
I stood in the middle of the living room, my hands and feet ice-cold. Was this home? If it was, why wasn't there a single trace that I'd ever lived here?
I walked into a guest bedroom. There was only a bed and a closet inside. It was completely bare.
Emily came in carrying a bowl of noodles.
"Eat something first. You just got out, and your body's weak."
She set the bowl on the nightstand.
"This is Matthew's home, and it's my home too."
"You'll stay here for now."
I looked at her.
"Where are my parents?"
"They don't want to see you."
Emily's answer was simple and blunt, with nothing softened.
"Why?"
"They're afraid you'll cause trouble again."
I clenched my fists. It felt like a rock was lodged in my chest.
In my memory, my parents liked my younger brother, Michael, more, but they still cared about me, the older brother. How could they not want to see me?
Unless Emily was telling the truth. Unless I really was Michael, the son who had disappointed them beyond words.
The doorbell rang.
Emily went to answer it.
A well-dressed middle-aged couple stood outside, polished and rich-looking from head to toe. My parents.
When they saw me, there was no joy of reunion in their eyes. Just distance, and a trace of... disgust.
My mother, Victoria Carter, walked right past me to Lucas's room and asked softly, "Is Lucas asleep?"
"He just fell asleep," Emily replied.
My father, Richard Carter, walked over to me.
He pulled a bank card from his wallet and tossed it onto the table.
"There's about 15,000 dollars on it."
"Find somewhere else to stay and don't come here."
"Stay away from Emily and Lucas."
He sounded like he was brushing off a beggar.
I looked at the card, rage boiling in my chest.
"Dad, I'm Matthew!"
A flash of impatience crossed Richard Carter's face.
"Michael, how long are you going to keep this up?"
"Was the mess you made five years ago not enough?"
"Your brother gave up five years for you, and now that you're out, you're going to ruin this family too?"
Every word was like a knife. I had no way to defend myself.
Victoria Carter came over from the bedroom door and tugged at Richard Carter's sleeve.
"Stop wasting words on him. Let's go check on Lucas."
They treated me like I wasn't even there and walked straight to the child's room.
I was left alone in the living room.
That bank card looked especially glaring under the light.
I grabbed the card and rushed out. I needed proof. Proof of who I really was.
I wandered down the street with no destination in mind. The night wind was freezing.
I found a twenty-four-hour ATM and slid the card in.
Balance inquiry.
15,000 dollars.
Not a cent more, not a cent less.
I tried entering the PIN of the payroll card I remembered having.
Wrong.
I entered it again.
Still wrong.
Third try.
The machine swallowed the card.
I stood in front of the ATM like a complete idiot. For the first time, I felt bone-deep fear.
If I wasn't Matthew, then where was Matthew?
And if I really was Michael, then what the hell were those five years?