Chapter 1

Six years ago, a flood nearly took my brother's life. I pulled him out of the water, but the current dragged me under.

After that, I disappeared. My family believed I was dead.

Not long after, they adopted a girl named Regina Clarke. She moved into my room. She took my name. She lived my life as if it had always been hers, enjoying everything that once belonged to me.

Six years passed before my memories came back. When I finally returned home, my parents drove Regina out without a second thought.

I told myself that blood was thicker than water. I believed that, at least for a little while.

Then we argued. In the heat of it, my brother and my childhood friend pushed me down the stairs.

"She should have died in that flood," one of them said. "It would've saved us all this trouble."

I hit the ground hard, but I stayed conscious. Every word they said reached me, clear as day.

Footsteps rushed closer. When I opened my eyes and saw them running toward me, I slowly tilted my head. "Who are you looking for?"

From that moment on, I stopped thinking of them as family. They were just tools now.

*****

My body went light, almost like I was floating. Then the pain hit.

I crashed onto the cold, hard floor. My bones took the impact with a dull thud.

I lay there, unable to move. My mind felt shattered, like broken glass scattered everywhere.

I heard footsteps pounding down the stairs. My brother, Zach Clarke, and my childhood friend, Jeffrey Malcom, rushed over and stopped beside me.

But what I heard upstairs, during their argument, was even clearer. "She should have died in that flood. It would've saved us all this trouble."

Six years ago, Zach fell into the water, and I jumped in to save him. He lived. I didn't.

At least, that was what everyone believed.

The Clarke family filled the hole I left behind by adopting a girl named Regina Clarke.

She took my room. She wore my dresses. She used my name. She lived the life that should have been mine.

Six years later, they found me. I came back with scars all over my body and no memories in my head.

My parents were overjoyed. That same night, they threw Regina out without a second thought.

I had believed blood meant everything. I had believed I was loved, that I could never be replaced.

But I was wrong.

Earlier today, I saw Regina sneaking back to meet Zach. I told them our parents wouldn't be happy about it. That was all it took. It turned into a fight.

And then, together, they pushed me down the stairs.

So this was the truth. Six years of shared history meant more to them than blood.

I was the outsider, the extra piece that didn't fit.

The word "trouble" stabbed straight into my chest like poison.

It didn't matter anymore. My heart was already dead. There was nothing left to hurt.

The light above me blurred. Darkness crept in from the edges of my vision.

Then I heard my parents. "Melody! My daughter! What happened to you?"

My father, Ellery Clarke, and my mother, Grace Clarke, rushed over. Their faces were filled with genuine fear and panic.

Zach and Jeffrey turned pale. Their voices shook as they tried to explain.

Zach said, "Dad, Mom, we didn't mean to. She just slipped..."

It was a terrible lie.

I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, everything inside me had gone quiet. Only an empty, almost rehearsed confusion remained in my gaze.

I looked at them the same way I had six years ago, when I first came back with no memories at all.

Grace reached for my face, her hand trembling. "Melody, look at me. Are you okay?"

I slowly looked around at all of them—my fake parents, my cruel brother, and my cold-hearted childhood friend.

Their worried expressions looked almost funny now.

I had once loved this home more than anything.

Now it was just a tool. Something I would use, and then discard. From this moment on, everything between us was business.

I moved my lips slightly as if trying to figure something out.

Then, I tilted my head and asked in a soft, distant voice, "Who are you?"

I paused, then added, "Who are you looking for?"

The entire room went silent.