O

yself in laboratories would protect me, but after tonight, I was

le to the extent Molecules didn't betray you, data didn't lie, amongst othe

not just the part that had to do with science. He meant the boardrooms, the conferences, the legac

the privileges our name carried, the security, the r

rd I pretended or tried to like it, that aspect

s dragged up memories I had spent seven years trying t

me, and after that night, I just knew I wasn't the universe's favorite person on

s father's stubborn silence when something troubled him. He was literally a carbon copy of the man. If someone had

was his fa

imes, when he tilted his head a certain way, it

ime. We had come straight from the airport to the conference yesterday,

tions before slipping away early. Oliver looked exhausted

is pajamas after his bath and before dinner arrived. He

ed gently, brushing my

He smiled like he always did, but something tw

ner, while I tucked him into bed, smoothing the blanke

ng my hand through his hair. "Yo

I was about to drop it, he a

udded loudly in my chest as I seriously prayed this would be one of those situations wher

e barely steady. "Oliver?

up at me, innocent and curiou

ed violently a

kly. "That can't be" But it was possible only if

s looking at us. They thought it was

but I forced a breath out of my

voice trembled. "Sometimes kids just look

." He shook his head firmly.

desert. I told myself not to think too much about it, bu

e?" I forced myself

e nodded

hoed in my

ven to the son I never held. The same baby taken from

e me so sharply it

me. It didn't take too long for the anger to be followed

y son, I would have

u

cing my expression to soften. "Get some sleep,

me for a moment but didn't

my own room and closed the door. Then I called my f

red immediately. "Miss

said immediately, skipping all the

se, before he asked ca

ave met his twin today. Kayden was at the conference today. I'm sure of it" I pa

exhaled slowly. "You finally want to u

ue, to investigate, but I had stopped him. I had been too broken and too asha

m done running. It's high time we came to the bottom o

hat seemed like forever. "But remember one thing, do take c

lief in my chest. After the call ended, sleep ref

o

ing. I tried not to think about Kayden, trie

w was the main test of the machine. After so many years of resea

ned to make procedures faster, more precis

h twist, being the center of attention made my chest tighten, but this was my father's

morning came too quickly. I dressed in a tailored navy suit

d peaceful, too peaceful for a child who had just

y and tucked a bit of his s

a note on the bedside table just in case he woke u

ghts, the large screen behind it, and most import

o was step for

he live demonstration would follow my introd

softly and I turned. "Y

led slowly as I muttered to

raved in the back of my mind in the last seven years, I could have sworn that my mind was pl

, I forgot how to breathe. He looked older and sharper around the edges, but it w

oke quietly. "We should talk." His eyes searched my fa

ce. My stomach dropped, my palms went cold, and I felt s

impo