Double Identity
The ambulance's siren pierced the night as Emily sat in the back, gripping her father's cold hand. His skin was clammy, his breathing shallow.
"Stay with me, Dad," she whispered, her heart pounding.
Damian sat across from her, fists clenched. His father—their father—had collapsed right in front of them. But the way he had looked at them, with no recognition in his eyes, felt like a stab to the chest.
Anna and Daniel sat very close to each other, in pain but also showing obvious care. Harris, sitting beside them, was deep in thought.
"When was the last time you saw him before he disappeared?" Harris finally asked.
Emily's throat tightened. "A few days ago. But… though he was having memory loss, but, it didn't get to this extent of seeing another people instead of us. He wouldn't—"
Damian's voice was sharp. "Unless someone made this happen."
The ambulance doors burst open as paramedics wheeled Mr. Jackson inside the hospital. A doctor rushed over.
"What happened?"
"He collapsed," Harris explained. "Possible memory impairment and stress-related trauma."
The doctor frowned. "He's weak. We'll need to run tests, including a neurological scan to assess memory loss."
Emily nodded eagerly. "Do whatever it takes. We need answers."
Emily's Interrogation
The hospital felt colder than usual. A dimly lit room. A table. Harris across from her, his notepad ready.
"Tell me about your father."
Emily exhaled. "He was a writer. A good man. He lost everything after someone tricked him out of his work, and then… he disappeared."
Harris's pen tapped against the table. "His health before he vanished?"
"Healthy. No diabetes. No leukemia." Her eyes burned with unshed tears. "Just… memory loss after he was duped. But nothing like this."
Harris leaned forward. "You truly believe he was manipulated?"
Emily's gaze darkened. "I don't believe it. I know it."
Harris nodded slowly. Then, he stood and walked to the next room.
Anna and Daniel's Interrogation
Anna and Daniel sat tensely across from him.
"How long has your father been with you?" Harris asked.
Anna hesitated. "Uh… it's been months—"
Daniel cut in smoothly. "All our lives." He shot Anna a warning glance before forcing a laugh. "She gets nervous under pressure."
Harris didn't blink. "And his medical history?"
Anna was quicker this time. "Diabetes. Leukemia. He's been sick for years."
Harris let the silence stretch. His detective instincts flared.
Something didn't add up.
Then, Anna made a mistake.
She wiped her palms against her jeans and muttered, "We just wanted him to be safe after what happened in San Diego—"
Daniel kicked her under the table.
Harris's eyes sharpened. "San Diego? What happened in San Diego?"
Anna paled. "I… I misspoke."
Harris leaned forward. "No, I don't think you did."
Emily and Damian arrived home, desperate for their father's real medical records. They needed proof.
But as their car pulled up, Emily's breath caught in her throat.
Smoke.
Thick, black smoke billowed into the sky.
Damian slammed the brakes. "No. No, no, no!"
Emily flung the door open and ran toward the flames, but Harris grabbed her arm. "Emily, stop!"
The fire roared through the windows, swallowing everything inside. The entire past of their family—gone.
Firefighters rushed to the scene, but the house was already lost.
Emily collapsed onto the pavement, eyes wide with shock. "Our proof… it's gone."
Harris's face was grim. "This wasn't an accident. Someone did this to erase evidence."
Damian stood there, shaking with rage. "Who the hell are we up against?"
As if on cue, Damian's phone buzzed.
Damian cursed under his breath. Emily's hands trembled as she lowered the phone.
"This is a warning," Harris muttered. "Someone doesn't want us asking questions."
Damian turned, fists clenched. "And that means we're close to something."
A sharp beep interrupted the moment. Harris checked his phone. His expression turned unreadable.
Emily leaned in. "And?"
Harris hesitated. "Your father… doesn't have any medical history matching what Anna and Daniel claimed. No diabetes. No leukemia. Nothing."
Emily's blood ran cold. "Then why did they lie?"
Damian's jaw tightened. "Because they're covering something up."
Harris exhaled, his voice grim. "We need to find out what happened in San Diego."
Emily swallowed hard. "And fast. Because whoever we're dealing with…"
She looked at the smoldering ruins of their home.
"They're just getting started."
As if on cue, Damian's phone buzzed again.
Unknown Number.
The three of them exchanged a glance.
Damian's voice was hollow as he answered. "Hello?"
A deep, distorted voice crackled through the speaker.
"Stop searching."
Emily grabbed the phone. "Who are you?"
A long pause. Then.
"He doesn't belong to you anymore."
Her breath hitched. "Who are you talking about?"
"Find the truth… and you might not survive it."
Before Emily could respond further, two sleek black cars pulled up.
Clinton.
Adrian.
Emily turned, her heart hammering.
Adrian's eyes were unreadable, but there was tension in his jaw. Clinton, however, scanned the burning wreckage, his gaze darkening.
"What the hell happened?" Clinton demanded.
Emily's fingers tightened around the phone. "Someone doesn't want us digging into my father's past."
Adrian wheeled closer. "And yet, you're still standing here, holding a phone call with the enemy."
Emily glanced at the screen, and the call ended.
She exhaled sharply. "They told us to stop searching."
Clinton's eyes flickered with something dangerous. "Then we need to start looking harder."
Emily turned back to the burning house, her stomach twisting into knots. Their home. Their proof. Their past, gone.
But one thing was clear.
They weren't backing down.
Whoever was behind this had just made a mistake.
Because now, Emily was ready to get to the root of everything.