The woman who left me as a baby stood there like time had never passed. She looked smaller than I imagined. Worn down. But when she saw me, she dropped her bag and rushed forward, grabbing me so hard I almost fell.
She cried into my shoulder. “My baby. Lesley. I finally found you.”
My legs gave out. I sank onto the couch with her holding me. Everything felt blurry.
She pulled back, panic flooding her face. “Why are you bleeding? What happened?”
“I have aplastic anemia,” I whispered, pressing the towel to my nose. “I need a bone marrow donor.”
Her face went white. She grabbed my hands like she was afraid I’d disappear. “I’ll give you mine. We’ll go to Europe. You’ll live with me and your brothers. Please, Lesley. Come with me.”
My chest tightened. “You left me,” I said quietly. “You left me and Miya with Grandma. You disappeared. How do I trust you now?”
She froze. “Who’s Miya?”
My throat went dry. “My fraternal twin. You left both of us.”
Her hands started shaking. “No,” she said slowly. “Lesley, you don’t have any twin.”
My head spun. “What are you talking about?”
She shook her head hard, tears falling. “I only gave birth to one child. You. There was no sister. No twin. Whoever that girl is, she’s not your family.”
The room felt like it tilted.
I whispered, “Grandma said we were twins.”
She broke down. “I left you with Grandma alone. I swear. I never had another child.”
My chest felt hollow. Like something had been rotten for years and I was only just smelling it.
“I worked abroad to send money home,” she cried. “I had an accident. I lost my memory. I only remembered last year. I searched everywhere for you. I never stopped being your mother.”
I wanted to believe her. I really did. But my whole life felt fake.
“Let me think,” I whispered. “I need time.”
She nodded like she expected it. She kissed my forehead softly. “Call me when you’re ready.” She left her number and walked away.
I barely had time to breathe before footsteps filled the yard.
Five men burst through the back gate.
Fredrinn’s men.
They grabbed me, threw a blanket over my shoulders, and dragged me outside like trash. I screamed. I fought. My body was too weak. Rain started pouring. Everything was loud, cold, humiliating.
One of them leaned close. “Boss says you sleep outside tonight. Punishment for hurting Miss Miya.”
I banged on the door. “Please. I’m sick. I need my meds. Please.”