Billy had always believed he was an only child, cherished by loving parents who gave him everything. But on his 18th birthday, a simple DNA test shattered that illusion. Expecting quirky ancestry results, Billy instead discovered he had a brother—Daniel.
Confused and shaken, Billy confronted his father, who confessed to a long-buried affair. He begged Billy not to tell his mother, claiming Daniel was the result of that betrayal. But something about his father’s reaction felt off. Billy couldn’t let it go.
He messaged Daniel. They met the next day. What Daniel revealed was staggering: they weren’t strangers—they’d lived together as young children. Their house had burned down, killing their biological parents. Billy had saved Daniel, but they were separated during adoption. Daniel remembered everything—the lake, the swing set, their dog Scruffy. Billy remembered none of it.
Billy’s adoptive father had lied. Daniel wasn’t the product of an affair. Billy wasn’t their biological son. The truth unraveled further when Billy found documents in his father’s office: the fire had started due to faulty wiring in a building owned by Billy’s adoptive parents. They’d ignored safety complaints to avoid costly repairs. Their negligence had killed Billy’s real parents.
Worse still, they adopted Billy not out of compassion—but to cover their tracks and avoid legal consequences.
Devastated, Billy confronted his parents. His father tried to deflect, but the truth was written all over his face. Billy packed his things and left, moving in with Daniel. Though his world had been built on lies, Billy found something real: the bond with his brother, stolen from him but now restored.
