Page 104 of Captured Immune

“This picture was taken when you were only a year old,” Li says.

Trey gapes at the photo with his mouth slightly open. I steal a glance too. The picture features five people standing outside this shop with a banner above them that saysgrand opening!

Younger versions of Li and Tao are standing next to Trey’s mom, who’s holding baby Trey over her hip. On the other side of Trey’s mom is a younger version of Victor. In the picture, he’s smiling so brightly, I barely recognize him. I’ve only ever seen Victor scowling. It’s weird to see him look so happy.

“Your parents came to visit on opening week to help us kick off this shop,” Li says. “For many years, they visited almost every month. They always brought you to play with our kids, who are slightly older than you. I doubt you remember them either.”

“I don’t,” Trey says with his attention still glued to the photo.

“My husband is the original Healer who provided the teardrops for your parents to research and develop the formula for Healing Products. Our cut of the royalties allows us to live a pretty good life.”

“Uh...” Trey points to the picture. “This is definitely me, and that’s definitely my mom, but that’s not my dad. That’s my uncle, Victor. My dad and Victor were born only fourteen months apart, and they looked a lot alike, so a lot of people got them confused.”

Li stares at Trey for a lingering second before she turns to Tao, who’s leaned against a table behind us. She says something to him in Chinese. Tao responds in Chinese with a half shrug. Li says something while gesturing at Trey, and Tao responds in more Chinese. They do this back and forth for a moment before Li’s attention returns to Trey.

“All right,” Li says. “We decided you should know the truth.”

Trey’s shoulders go taut. “What truth?”

“Victor is not your uncle. He’s your father.”

25

TREY

I’m not breathing.I—I don’t think I know how to anymore.

“Maybe you should sit down.” Li snaps her fingers. “Tao, hurry. Bring him a chair. One for the girl too.”

The world seems to blur as Tao appears behind me with two clanky folding chairs. I don’t register anything he says as he puts a hand on my shoulder, gently shoving me into a chair. My ribs ache as I sit.

Tao says more stuff to me. I know because his mouth is moving, but his words aren’t making it to my brain.

The knot in my chest tightens as my fingers tremble. My breaths are short. My mouth feels dry. I feel like I’m going to fall over.Breathe, I command myself. I shut my eyes and try to take in a breath, but my lungs don’t obey. If I can’t get myself under control, this entire place will go up in flames.

A warm pair of hands cups my face, jump-starting my lungs. Finally, I can breathe again. I know whose hands these are because they’re the same hands that have always centered me before.

I open my eyes to find Arella’s brown ones staring back at me. She’s kneeling in front of me with concern etched into her furrowed eyebrows. Behind her, Li and Tao are whispering to each other in Chinese.

“I’m sorry,” I choke out, staring at my shoes. I can’t look anyone in the eyes.

Arella doesn’t take her hands off me. “You’re okay, honey. Just breathe.”

I suck in a deep breath through my nose, then let it out through my mouth. She just called mehoney. She hasn’t called me that in too long. Hearing it offers me a tiny sense of peace.

“Tao asked you if you’d like some water,” Arella says.

I keep my focus on her, hoping she’ll continue to calm me. “Water sounds great.”

Tao’s legs leave my sight. On the other side of the basement, a fridge door opens, then closes. Then Tao returns with two bottles of water. He hands one to Arella, then one to me. I place mine in my lap while I continue trying to pull myself together.

Li grabs another folding chair from the other side of the room and sets it in front of me to sit on. Tao does the same, then Arella climbs into her own chair until the four of us make a square. As if reading my mind, Arella scoots closer to me, placing her hand over my thigh. It’s exactly what I need.

Li folds her hands together in her lap. “I can tell you as much or as little as you’d like, Trey. Just tell me when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready,” I lie.

“How much do you want to know?”

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