Rejected Revenge

The glow of the laptop screen cast a harsh light on my face, illuminating the relentless stream of search results. Sixteen years. Sixteen years of a life that wasn't truly mine, yet still, the past remained an impenetrable wall. Soon, my soulmate would appear, and the thought was a terrifying dance between excitement and dread. Would they understand my desperate need to unravel the secrets of my birth? Would they take me away from the only family I'd ever known?
Then, a shriek of pure joy from downstairs. Elise. Only one person could make her sound like that. Simon.
I sprang from my bed, the laptop snapping shut, and flew down the stairs. There he stood, taller, broader, a grin splitting his face. My brother. My safe harbor. I launched myself into his arms, tears pricking, then flowing freely. “I’m so glad you’re home! Elise has been driving me crazy.” His familiar embrace, the scent of him, was a comfort I hadn’t realized I’d missed so much.
