Chapter 21 - Oren asks about Adrian
Oren was nine when he finally asked:
“Is Adrian fake?”
I hated the question.
“No.”
“But not yours.”
“Not biologically.”
“So fake brother?”
“No.”
He frowned.
“Then what?”
“Adrian is Adrian.”
“That’s not answer.”
Fair.
“He grew up in our house. You grew up with him. Biology changed something about what adults understood. It does not erase every year before.”
“Sabella liked him more.”
“Yes.”
“Because heir?”
“Partly.”
Oren looked down.
“Do you like him more?”
“No.”
“Me more?”
Dangerous.
“I love you differently because you are different people.”
“That means equal?”
“Love is not a pie chart.”
He rolled his eyes.
“That sounds Arthur.”
Terrible.
Then:
“Did Adrian know?”
“No.”
Oren went quiet.
“So she lied him too.”
“Yes.”
That was the first time Oren saw Adrian as another child inside Sabella’s choices.
It did not make them immediately close.
But anger shifted.
May you like
Useful.
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