"It's alright, you don't need to look anymore."

"Vince."

Jessica tried to pull away from him. This kind of embrace felt wrong between

them.

But Vince just held her tighter, as if he was terrified she might vanish if he let go.

"Salome..."

Salome?

The name sounded so familiar to Jessica.

It took her a moment, but then she remembered—on that day, stranded on the

island, Timothy had called her by that name.

Jessica stood frozen, confused.

Above her, Vince's voice was rough with guilt, drifting down to her.

"Salome, I'm sorry. Your brother came too late."

"Please forgive me."

"I promise, I'll never let you be hurt again."

Vince pressed his cheek against the top of Jessica's head, but there was no joy in

his face—only endless regret.

He hated himself for his carelessness.

He hated that he hadn't stabbed that knife a little deeper that day.

He gripped Jessica's shoulders and let her go, bending to look into her face. His

right hand traveled down her arm, finding her hand, and suddenly he used it to

strike his own cheek.

"Salome, hit me. Punish this useless brother of yours."

Just as he tried to make her slap him again, Jessica resisted, forcing her hand to

land softly on his face instead.

She looked up at Vince, bewildered. "Vince, what are you talking about? I know

you've been searching for your sister, but I'm not... Please, don't do this. You're

breaking my heart."

are. You're the Salome of the Zimmerman

have a small heart-shaped birthmark over

Jessica hesitated, then nodded.

hurriedly pulled out his phone, scrolling to a saved photo. "Look, isn't

you as a child?"

staring at

her. Her childhood

showed her picture after

Each one was her.

looked up again, she saw a tear clinging to

eye.

"Are you really my brother? But why

have parents, a grandmother, a home—how could I be your

only heard about the birthmark from Herbert, he might

test had been

said long ago

must have done the DNA

Vince had returned to

birthmark.

Timothy know all

did, how could

sure it's you, but if you need proof,

DNA test."

quietly watching, finally spoke. "Jess, I think

just called Mr. Zimmerman a minute

was always meticulous; if he said it, it

clicked for

madman, pointing to his own chest and

her

to carve his

knew about her

when you asked Timothy to

tell him about

at the Red House to talk about it, but things went

it then. A few days later, I told him

Jessica's mind reeled.

So he knew.

he find out?

yet still

own past outside

her

back

wanted her to tattoo over the birthmark

erase it—so Vince would

kind of man had she

have fallen in love with

went white

her talk

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