started talking, really talking, and the more they did, the more Sara realized how

else she didn't know-som

home only to retreat to his study, locking himself away as if avoiding the world. Sara couldn't shake the feeling that somethi

somethi

a shadow in the house, always busy with something, always too preoccupied to face the iss

needed to know why her father had been so distant, and what ha

as she reached for the door. She paused for a mo

out, her voice bar

ocked again, this time a li

came from inside, hoarse

pping forward and opening the door wit

older, more tired than she had ever seen it before. The lines around his eyes we

n she entered. "I'm busy,

orceful than she intended. "I need to know wha

for the first time, he looked up at her, h

something isn't right. You've been distant. Mom's been avoidin

hought he wasn't going to respond. But then, her f

uth, don't you?"

odded.

ver meant for any of this to happen. I never meant for you to find out. But th

prepare herself for what was coming, but

th you. We kept secrets-secrets that I thought were for your

d. "What secrets

ay you were born, something went wrong. Your mother and I... we were p

n her chest. "What do y

you were never meant to be ours. You were switched. The child you grew up thinking was your sister... she

. "No... that's not

found out, it was too late. You were already a part of our family. Your mother couldn't let you go. I couldn't eith

ing Sara. She staggered backward, her legs weak. "So

y, Sara. I should have told you sooner, but I didn't know how

, crushing her chest. She had always known something was wrong, but this... this was unim

voice trembling. "I'm sorry. I

answers. But all she could do was stare at him, at the man who had

ning and rushing out of the room

do with the truth, with the unbearable weight of everything

of confusion and pain. She didn't know where she was going-she only knew she co

mbled down the street, her thoughts spiraling out of control. Everything she thought she knew abou

had revealed the truth. It was all true, wasn't it? The way she had always felt like an

done this? The questions piled up like an avalanche, too

The cool evening air brushed against her face as she sank onto the nearest ben

nd she pulled it out with shaking

ing, but I want to he

reen for a long momen

to say. I don't even

ame almost

ll the same person, just with more of

ecause she didn't need Kara, but because she wasn't sure how to face her now. After everything. After knowing they

rough, it was Kara. Despite everything that had happened, despite the hurt, despite the lies

ening. She couldn't keep running from the truth. She had to face

the ground. When she saw Sara approach, her eyes lifted, and for the first time

id softly, her voic

ust herself to speak. She

ed out and placed one on Sara's shoulder. "I know this is hard. But we're in this togethe

dea how Kara could be so strong. How could she stand there, s

ght I knew who I was, who my family was... but now everyth

alone in this, Sara. I'm here. We're both here. And no matter what happens, we're going to get through this. Y

peace settled over her. Maybe there was hope after all. Maybe, with Kara by her s

r voice barely above a whisper. "There's so much... so mu

You don't have to fix everything at once. All we need

rst stars of the evening beginning to shine through the fading light, and in t

r be okay again?" Sara

ck at Sara. "I don't know. But I do know that we're stron

ple, standing together, trying to make sense of everything that had co

heart steadying in her chest. "Okay

ht with an emotion Sara couldn't q