Jason's POV
“It's hard enough to get access to Vanessa's hair or other DNA source without her noticing it, and now you want to compare it with Laila? Someone who's been...away for years?"
"Laila must have left DNA behind at my home… "
Marcus sighed. "It's gonna take a long time"
“I don’t care.”
"If you're wrong—"
"Then I'm wrong." I stared at my shelf of memories. "But I have to give it a try."
"And if you're right? If Vanessa really is Laila?" His voice dropped lower. "What then?"
"Then I finally get answers." My jaw clenched. "Then I figure out why she'd rather let me believe she was dead than trust me with the truth."
After hanging up, I watched darkness claim my room. Shadows stretched across walls like accusations.
I picked up that photograph. Studied Laila's face—young, hap
