"Once you enter the Project Aegis facility, you will have no contact with the outside world for five years. Are you certain about this?"
I looked up and met my university mentor Dr. Reed’s gaze, my own resolute.
"Professor, I've made up my mind."
I would rather be doing something meaningful at a desert base in Nevada than be their disposable option.
Five years was long enough to forget them.
Just then, my phone rang, shrill in the quiet office.
The caller ID read: Caleb.
My fingertips went cold, my breath catching in my throat.
Seeing my reaction, Dr. Reed smiled gently. "No rush. Take your time. We can talk after you're ready."
I took a deep breath and slid my finger across the screen to answer.
Caleb's urgent voice filled the line.
"Juliana, where are you? I was wrong today. I never should have ignored your feelings and left you alone at the wedding."
His tone was low and soft, the one he used to coax me when I was upset.
In the past, my resolve might have crumbled.
But now, all I felt was a profound exhaustion.
I spoke softly, my voice unnervingly calm. "Did you find Cassie?"
There was a brief silence on the other end.
"We found her. She was just throwing a fit, hiding at a friend's house."
"That's good."
I replied faintly, offering nothing more.
Caleb seemed to exhale in relief, quickly adding, "Your parents were just on edge today, their words were harsh. Don't take it to heart. Come back to the house in Connecticut for Thanksgiving dinner tonight. I asked the chef to make your favorite dishes."
I agreed. "Okay."
I would treat it as one last meal. A final, proper goodbye to this entire absurd mess.
That evening, the Hayes family mansion in Connecticut was lit up like a beacon.
My parents and Caleb were gathered around the long dining table, their attention focused entirely on Cassie, who was seated at the head of the table.
"Cassie, dear, you must have been terrified. Here, eat more."
My mother cut a large slice of turkey and placed it on Cassie's plate, her eyes brimming with maternal concern.
Caleb chimed in, "She's right. Don't run off like that again. You had us all worried sick."
Cassie smiled sweetly. "Oh, I'm a big girl now. You don't have to treat me like a child."
She then deliberately picked up a slice of pecan pie and offered it to me.
"Juliana, the chef made this especially for you. You should have some."
I stared at the pie but didn't move.
My mother slammed her fork onto the table.
"Cassie is being kind enough to offer you some pie. What's with that look on your face?"
I looked up, my voice steady. "I have a severe nut allergy."
At my words, Cassie's eyes instantly filled with tears.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Juliana. I had no idea you were allergic to nuts."
Seeing Cassie's distress, my mother's face darkened with fury.
"Juliana Hayes, does a single truthful word ever leave your mouth? You're going to eat this right now. We'll see if you're really allergic!"
Her voice was sharp and piercing, the same tone she'd used at the wedding when she'd called me a monster.
Caleb frowned at me. "Juliana, Cassie meant well. Just have a bite. Don't ruin the evening for everyone."
Have a bite?
They seemed to have forgotten the last time I'd accidentally ingested a tiny piece of a nut, I nearly died from anaphylactic shock.
So, in their eyes, my life was worth less than one of Cassie's crocodile tears.
I said nothing more. I simply put down my fork, pushed back my chair, and walked towards my old room upstairs.
