SAVANNAH
The next morning, Edward was still at home—awake and preparing breakfast with my brother. I’d seen this scene before. It was when our lives seemed perfect. Well, not anymore. I didn’t know what Edward said to Michael and why my brother let him in last night, but I knew it wasn’t good.
“Savi, take a seat,” Michael instructed. I didn’t have the strength to argue with Edward this morning, so I obliged. My stupid husband put a cup of coffee in front of me.
I sighed. It was such a waste to throw a good coffee in the morning, so I accepted it. I sipped a taste.
“Won’t you be late for work?” Michael asked me as he pulled a chair and sat.
“No, my time is, uh, flexible.”
“Of course, it is,” Edward commented. He stuck a piece of bacon in his mouth.
I shot him a glare. “Don’t start with me, Ed. Just because Michael let you in doesn’t mean we’re still family.”
“I let him because he was shouting outside. I don’t want to disturb the neighbors. What is it anyway, Sav?” Michael asked calmly, starting to eat his breakfast.
“You’re so kind, you know that?” I told Michael, holding his hand. “You have no obligation to him anymore. He left me, us… remember? And don’t listen to him.”
He nodded, then shrugged. “Whatever is still going on between you two, why not just fix it and get over it?”
“Nothing more to fix, Mike.”
“How about you, Edward?” Michael questioned.
Edward stopped eating. My brother still seemed to have a brotherly authority over him.
“What are you trying to do with my sister? Didn’t you already ask for a divorce?”
“I did. I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do before it’s official.”
“Wow, that’s so chivalrous of you,” I mocked.
Michael dragged his hand on his nape. “Savi still hasn’t said anything, but I know this involves a third party. Here’s my advice while you’re still married: if you think you can’t leave my sister, just make up your mind and fix your mess. But if you’re just going to hurt her, you’re not welcome here anymore. Is that clear?”
Edward swallowed dryly.
“Is that clear?” Michael repeated.
“Yes, sir,” Edward whispered.
I scoffed in disbelief. “Why don’t you just tell my brother what you did?”
“Savi…” Edward caught my hand and shook his head. “Please. Not now.”
I yanked my hand from him. “I’ll tell you everything, Michael. When I’m ready.”
He nodded, and we continued with our breakfast quietly.
My brother was the most patient man I knew. Understanding and generous. Despite having a rough childhood before the adoption, he became an honorable man any sibling would be proud of. I owe him a lot, so I didn’t deserve this mess. I had to tell him everything eventually, including about Rafe.
“I’m looking for my family,” Michael said again after some time.
“What?”
Edward and I shared a surprised look.
“What do you mean?” Edward asked.
“The ones who gave birth to me. I’m trying to look for them,” Michael rephrased.
“Really. Um… But why now?”
“I’ve been searching for them for quite a long time,” he confessed.
“But you never mentioned this. I didn’t know you were still interested in knowing them. Didn’t they leave you?” He was a seven-year-old boy with a stuttering disorder wandering alone, starved, and confused when our dad found him.
“They didn’t leave me, Savi. I was lost.”
“But they never even try to find you.”
“Because Dad didn’t report me as a missing child, fostered me on the spot, and we went to Vancouver, to our relatives, and lived there for three years.” Michael picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth. “We only came back before you were born.”
What the heck did dad think? “You can’t remember anything from your childhood?
“I have a sibling. A brother. I remember him.”
“Do you remember your brother’s name?” Edward asked.
“No, but I remember we’re twins.”
“Twins!” I exclaimed. It meant somewhere out there, there was another him walking this earth. “Why are you telling us this just now?”
“Because you deserve to know, and I need my only family now. I’m trying to understand myself, Savi. There’s still this missing piece inside me. I’m not complete. Is it so bad to know where I came from?”
I gaped at him, still bewildered. “It’s not. You have every right to know. As your sister, I will support you. I’m just surprised that after all these years, you’re still… Anyway, what are you planning to do? How are you going to find them?”
“I started two and a half years ago. I tried to look at the names listed as missing the year Dad found me. Kids, my age.”
“Is there any luck?” I asked.
“There are three missing Michaels in the police and foster care records, but none of them leads to my case.”
“But if you’re twins, can’t we just look for anyone who might look like you?” Edward suggested.
“That’s not so simple. Some twins aren’t identical,” I said.
“Right, of course. Do you need help?” Edward offered.
“Oh, no. Edward. There’s no need,” I refused.
“Savi, do you think of me so heartless?” He grimaced.
It wasn’t that. I just didn’t want to be tied to him again in any way. But this was Michael we were talking about. It was unfair to be selfish.
“I know investigators,” Edward added. “Are you sure your name is Michael? Just Michael? No family names, like Smith? Wilson? Johnson? Anything.”
I tsked. “If he knows, do you think he’ll still be looking for them?” God, couldn’t he just go home?
“Why are you so antagonistic?” Edward argued. “We’re trying to think here. There must be something else you remember.” He looked at my brother. “Where did you last see your brother?”
“We went to an amusement park. I left him, but I couldn’t remember why. When I came back, my brother was gone.”
“Dad thought it was in Luna Park in Coney Island or at the Adventures Amusement Park because he found Michael on 13th Avenue. Dad was driving in that area from a friend’s house that night,” I said.
“I remembered taking a bus,” Michael said, “and wandered from there because I was looking for my brother and… food.”
“Did you try to look in those amusement parks?” Edward asked.
“Yes, but…” My brother sighed. “I found nothing.”
Edward stared at us. “Well, it can’t be just nothing. That’s impossible. Those are the places with more missing kids being listed each year. We will look there again.” He took out his phone from his pocket, then punched numbers on his screen. He pressed the phone to his ear. “Hey, Chad. I need you to find something.” He paused. “I’ll get you the details in your email.” He cut the call.
“Chad? The detective?”
“Yes. He’s discreet, so we can trust him.” Edward looked at Michael. “Do you think you can give me your details?”
“It’s upstairs, but are you really doing this?” Michael asked somberly. “You are leaving my sister.”
Edward looked hurt, guilty. “We were family once, and I made a mistake. Let me do this one thing, one last time.” He glanced at me; his eyes looked warm. “When I said I’m sorry, I meant it, Savi.”
“One last time,” I said firmly, straightening up. “And then you’ll leave us alone?”
He gritted his jaw. “I can’t make any promise because that’s not our only concern here. You know what I’m talking about.” He was referring to Rafael.
“Oh, God. Why did I even try to negotiate with you?” I sprang up. “I’ll get ready for work. Keep me posted, okay?”
Michael nodded. I leaned over him and kissed his temple.
***
I contemplated how my brother must’ve felt growing up, wondering where his real family was. Michael had always been obedient to our parents and raised me when they passed away, but here I was, so focused on myself, I didn’t consider whether he needed me. So, I would do anything in my power to help him. But if he found them, would he go to them and leave me?
No, no, no. That was me being selfish again. Michael wouldn’t do that.
Edward was still outside the house when I came out. He was leaning on his car.
“You look… amazing.” His gaze stopped on my body, my cream-colored slim-cut business suit, a matching skirt, and stilettos. In the past, if he said those, I’d be flattered, but right now I just wanted to smack his face.
“Save it,” I dismissed. “You’re still here?”
“I’m waiting for you, of course. I’ll drive you to work.” He opened the passenger seat door of his BMW.
“Oh, no. No.” I gestured my finger. “I know what you’re doing, and I’m not riding there with you.” I took my phone from my purse to get an Uber ride. Unfortunately, my car was still in Riley’s place.
“Why not? Afraid that he might see us?”
“See? That’s exactly what you’re trying to do here. Provoking me.”
“Can we just stop arguing for a second and just get the fuck in, please?”
I ignored him, walking to my destination while booking a car. If he thought that helping Michael could make us friends again, he was wrong. I wasn’t ready to forgive him yet. He should go back to Sofia, where he belonged, since I truly thought they deserved each other. They were both cunning and liars. I didn’t want to get hurt again with what he was trying to pull.
Edward might still have feelings left for me—a habit, concern, a little need for companionship, but I didn’t care anymore. I wouldn’t be able to forget the abusive things he told me, especially yesterday. It’d only be harder for us to move on if he didn’t stop.
That divorce had to happen soon.
I heard his car engine roar to life behind me. Smirking, I continued at my pace. A nearby Uber driver had accepted my booking request.