I froze. Behind me stood Ethan Smith, Jason’s
half–brother. He must have been brought along
for the search. Talk about convenient. I wouldn’t
have to waste time finding him.
“You and Jason were close. Now he’s missing and you’re smiling. Did you do something?” Two pre–teens, sizing each other up.
<
“Is that so bad? I’ve just solved your biggest
problem. From now on, no matter who you were
before, you’re the sole heir to the Smith
fortune.”
Mrs. Smith had complications after Jason’s
birth, making it difficult for her to conceive
again. Ethan was pushing her limits. There
would be no third child under her watchful eye.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell?”
A cool breeze rustled my hair. I looked up at the
sky. The moon was hidden behind clouds, its
light subdued.
“Do you believe,” I began, my voice soft, “that if I hadn’t been quick, my parents would be the ones crying right now? I’m simply returning the favor. Besides, even if you suspect something, what can you do? You’re the unfavored child. No one would believe you, and you’d probably just make things worse for yourself.”
I stepped closer, my breath warm against his
ear as I spoke. “I can help you.”
“Why?”
I let out a self–deprecating laugh. “Not for free,
of course. We make a deal. I help you secure
your place in the Smith family. You cling to that
position, build your power, until no one can
challenge you.” I raised a finger, lightly tracing
it along his jawline. “Besides, the fact you’re
even asking means you have ambition, doesn’t
it?”
The wind parted the clouds, moonlight
illuminating our faces.
“If not now, when?”
- 4.
As expected, Jason’s disappearance remained
a mystery. He vanished without a trace. The
894
Smiths were consumed by grief. Every day, I had the kitchen prepare meals for Ethan to take
to them. As I predicted, they barely
acknowledged his presence.
Thud. A stack of books, half as tall as Ethan,
toppled onto him. Even his normally impassive
face registered surprise.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“Study materials for the upcoming state competition. You have one week to prepare. I’ve already signed us up as a team.”
He looked confused. “Shouldn’t we be focusing
on getting into my parents‘ good graces?”
I scoffed. “The food deliveries are just to build
familiarity. What really matters is having
something they value.”
I pushed him relentlessly. In one week, he
く
absorbed a near–impossible amount of
information. We dominated the competition,
winning gold with our flawless presentation and
rapid–fire answers.
On the day the school announced the awards
ceremony, I lured the Smiths to the school
under the pretext of helping Jason with his
leave of absence. The principal, beaming,
rushed over to greet them. “What outstanding
children! You must be so proud! This gold
medal is a great honor for our school!”
The Smiths stared blankly. “Our…child?”
“Yes, your son, Ethan! He won the state
competition! He’s on track for nationals, and
this could even get him a guaranteed spot in
college!”
Their gazes finally settled on Ethan, trailing
behind us. I had styled his hair to resemble
Jason’s. Seizing the moment, I said, “Mr. and
<
Mrs. Smith, I know you’re grieving, but you still
have a son.”
Ethan played his part perfectly. “You’ve raised
me all these years. I may not be Jason, but I’ll
do everything I can for this family. We’re a
family. I’ll protect this family until Jason comes
home.”
The Smiths left in visibly higher spirits. After
they were gone, Ethan and I high–fived.
“Good job.”
“You too.”
There’s no such thing as pure, one–sided love. But there are rock–solid partnerships. We were waiting for Jason’s return. But the Smith family he came back to would be his hell.
