The Enigma of Your Love

Bound by a thing called family, my soul drifted back home with my mom, Amy.

It had been a long time since I last came back.

The windows and doors were shut tight in the middle of the day, lights blazing. Grace huddled, trembling, in my brother Matthew's arms.

"Don't be scared, Grace. I'm here. I'll protect you," Matthew said.

"Mom, Grace had a nightmare. Come take a look," Matthew called out.

Amy looked at Grace trembling in Matthew's arms, her face full of concern. She held her close and comforted her softly, "It's okay now, it's all over. No need to be scared."

Grace's eyes were red, and her tears fell like broken pearls, dropping onto Amy's arm.

Even when she cried, she looked so delicate, making everyone ache for her.

Suddenly, Matthew's expression stiffened, and a deep anger filled his eyes. "Did Evelyn scare you again? If she's giving you trouble, I'll go deal with her right now."

"No, it wasn't Evelyn. She's been great, please don't go after her," Grace said softly.

Her voice was soft, her eyes avoiding his, filled with sisterly affection. She sounded innocent.

When she rammed into you, she didn't hold back one bit.

At the mention of me, Matthew's anger grew. "After all the terrible things she's done to you, don't defend her. I know exactly what kind of person she is.

"Do you think she didn't know how much pain Mom and Dad went through looking for you all those years? She's an ingrate who can't stand to see us happy.

"She's the reason Dad got into that car accident. She's nothing but a curse.

"If you hadn't gone missing, Mom wouldn't have had her in the first place. She's not half the person you are."

Matthew's voice wasn't loud, but it pierced through me.

Amy's words hurt even more. "Don't mention her. Just consider her dead."

After saying that, she held Grace even tighter.

This wasn't the first time I'd heard these words.

As the replacement, from the day the real one came back, I had become nothing.