Chapter 3

I couldn't taste a single thing for the rest of the dinner.

I did my best to hide my suspicion, pretending to chat with him normally.

I couldn't show my hand yet.

If he wasn't Logan, then the real Logan was in extreme danger, or maybe even...

I didn't dare to finish that thought.

By the time we got home, it was already 9:00 PM.

I pushed the front door open. The living room was lit with a warm, cozy light.

My adoptive father, Arthur, was sitting on the couch watching the news, while my adoptive mother, Helen, was in the kitchen slicing fruit.

Twenty years ago, they adopted Logan and me from foster care.

They didn't have biological children of their own, and over the years, they treated us like their flesh and blood. They put us through college, bought us clothes, and gave us a real home.

In my heart, they were my real parents.

"Hey, Dad. Mom. We're home," I said, trying to keep my voice steady as I kicked off my shoes.

"You're back! Was the hotpot good? You smell like smoke, go take a shower," Helen said, walking out of the kitchen with a fruit platter, her smile warm and gentle.

The fake "Logan" walked over naturally and wrapped his arm around Helen's shoulders. "Mom, I'm stuffed. Leo kept ordering so much meat."

"Oh, you. You’re about to fit into your wedding suit, you need to watch what you eat," Helen laughed, patting his arm.

Arthur also put down the remote control, smiling warmly at us.

It was such a peaceful, ordinary family scene.

But it made my skin crawl.

I took a deep breath and sat down on the armchair.

"Hey Mom, something weird happened today," I said, trying to sound casual. "Logan ate peanut butter at the restaurant, and he was completely fine. Not a single hive."

The air in the living room seemed to freeze instantly.

Only the muffled voice of the TV news anchor echoed in the silence.

I stared at my parents' faces, watching for any tiny reaction.

Helen’s hand slipped, and her knife clicked sharply against the glass platter.

The smile on Arthur's face stiffened for a brief second.

But Helen recovered quickly. She popped a piece of apple into the fake Logan’s mouth and turned to smile at me.

"Oh, that? I thought it was something serious. Didn't Logan tell you? I took him to an amazing herbalist a few months ago. He swore he could cure allergies, and look at that, it actually worked!"

Arthur nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Leo, you worry too much. Your brother is getting married soon. It's a blessing that his health is getting better."

My heart sank into a dark, bottomless abyss.

They were lying.

Logan had never been to any herbalist!

His allergy was a severe genetic defect. It was medically impossible to cure. The specialists at the hospital had told us that years ago, and my parents were right there in the room!

Why were they helping this imposter cover up his lie?

Could it be...

A terrifying thought exploded in my brain, making my scalp go numb.

Did my parents already know he wasn't Logan?

Or worse... were they in on it together?!

Suddenly, the home I had lived in for twenty years felt completely foreign and terrifying.

The air around me felt thick and suffocating, like breathing in wet cement.

"Maybe I'm just overthinking. I'm going to go take a shower," I muttered.

I stood up abruptly, keeping my head down as I rushed to my bedroom.

I shut the door and locked it immediately.

Leaning against the door, my legs gave out, and I slid down to the floor.

Cold sweat drenched my shirt.

I was completely alone.

In this house, everyone except me was a monster.

Where was Logan?

Was he already...?

No! Logan was smart. If he realized he was in danger, he would have left me a clue!

I had to calm down.

I couldn't panic. Logan was waiting for me to save him.

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