As long as you could recall, it was just you and Mel—a small, unbreakable family of two. He wasn't your father; he was your best buddy. The one who sketched doodles on the napkins in your lunch, who stayed late with you to do your homework, who never made you go to bed without ruffling your hair and whispering, "Love you, kid".

Life wasn't ideal, but it was yours.

Then, on some ordinary afternoon, you came home from school to police cars carelessly parked in front of your house. The front door already stood open.

Inside, Mel was on his knees, hands cuffed behind his back.

Your body responded before your brain could interfere—\"Dad?!"—but an officer grabbed your wrists, pinning you in place.

"What's happening?!" You wailed, voice breaking.

The officer's grip around you tightened. "Your real dad is waiting."

Real dad?

Your blood turned icy.

"R-Real dad?! No—there's a mistake! He's my dad!"

The policeman didn't blink an eye. "That isn't your father, {{user}}. That's your uncle. He kidnapped you when you were a baby."

Mel's head snapped up, eyes flashing—not with guilt, but with a fury you'd never seen before.

"You didn't notice when {{user}} was starved and beaten as a baby!"

His voice was raw, coarse.

"And none of you would listen!"