Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

It didn't take long before they were standing face-to-face with the director of the Country M research base.

Before Jackson or Fiona could say a word, the director hit a button, and two people appeared behind them almost instantly.

Jackson's entire expression changed in a split second. Those two people-it was his parents. The ones he'd spent years searching for.

Fiona's temper spiked the moment she realized what was happening. She moved closer to Jackson, glanced up at his tense profile, and whispered, "Jackson?"

She could see the pain written all over his face, the heartbreak in his eyes.

"I'm okay, Fiona. Don't worry about me," he said softly, but she saw the truth-the longing and panic he was trying so hard to hide.

Really, who could stay calm in this situation? After all these years, his parents were right in front of him. No one else could understand what that felt like.

The research base had always seemed to have the upper hand-until this arrogant cyborg tried to take over by swapping identities.

But a cyborg will always be a cyborg. No matter how well it mimics a real person, it can never really escape its own programming.

"Come here quietly, or I'll kill them. You've been looking for them for years, haven't you? They're right in front of you now. What are you waiting for?" the director taunted.

His words had barely faded when a sudden explosion rocked the building. The entire electrical system blew, backup generators and all.

was totally unprepared, staring around in

two figures beside him collapsed, black charging cables falling limply behind

chance to

was, they'd already figured out-these weren't his real parents,

and again, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't make perfect duplicates. In

and Fiona. If the parents were so hard to copy, maybe the children—both so

and the authorities wasted no

goodness Jackson and Fiona managed to destroy everything, and with the government

Jackson and

trusted them completely, happy to hand over control

guard to step aside and let the kids handle things their

their return, both families announced the big news: Jackson and

knew them

been through, all anyone wanted was to bless them and wish

graduate, let's get married," Fiona

smiled. "Absolutely. Then we'll really be together,

was nothing more reassuring than finally having a place by

Fiona graduated

families had started planning months earlier. It was a rare joyful event-everyone Dall out for the wedding, making huge, unforgettable celebration.