“Police! Drop your weapons!”
I finally exhaled in relief, but then everything faded to black.
When I opened my eyes again, two days had passed.
Just like in my last life, I was lying in a hospital bed.
My head was wrapped in thick bandages, an IV drip in my hand.
Mom and Dad sat beside me, their eyes red and teary. Behind them, my brother stood, smirking.
As soon as I woke up, Mom threw herself onto me, sobbing.
“My baby, you’ve suffered so much! We searched for you for years, and we finally found you!”
Dad’s voice was thick with emotion. “We’re gonna make this right. We swear.”
My brother, standing behind them, curled his lips into a slow, twisted smile.
Then, his voice echoed in my mind.
‘System, use the last chance. Switch me and Deacon back!’
Everything went black, and I passed out again.
The pain vanished, and in a blink, my surroundings shifted.
I was back in my own body.
On the hospital bed, my little brother was clinging to Mom, sobbing.
“Mom! Dad! It was my brother’s fault I got kidnapped!”
His voice suddenly sharpened, and he pointed at me, his eyes full of hatred.
“What?!”
My parents spun around, their voices filled with rage. “Deacon! What the hell is going on?!”
Panic shot through me. I shook my head frantically, my face pale with fear, tears already spilling over.
“How could I ever hurt him? Mom! Dad! You have to believe me!”
In the middle of the chaos, the hospital door swung open.
A uniformed officer walked in, his face serious as he addressed my parents.
“Ma’am, Sir, we’ve uncovered the truth about Jorren’s kidnapping all those years ago.
“He’s being investigated for human trafficking and attempted poisoning. We need him to come and cooperate with us.”
The smug look on Jorren’s face disappeared in an instant. His eyes went wide, and he let out a sharp scream.
“No way! What the hell are you talking about?!
