SEVENTEEN

Eli

I woke up on a hospital bed that morning. They asked me for my name and I gave it. I also asked for a call to the Vandenberg Residence, which was picked up by Lord Jacob. I explained everything to him, including the parts where I think I heard him having a conversation with my father. Of course, he denied it, but the sudden shift of his tone while he was talking to me on the phone was telling me something else.

That was the moment I decided not to trust him or his family.

There was no way I imagined everything last night. I asked the staff about how I got there, and they say they heard a long beeping sound from a pod outside the hospital. When they got outside, I was lying on the ground with no one around.

Even Alexei didn't want to believe me. I thought he would have been thrilled of all people to know that our father could still be alive somewhere. He made me promise not to tell anyone in the family, as he's still current