Chapter 1

Henry's POV

I had spent the whole day and night lying on the floor before the sound of an argument downstairs woke me up.

"Henry is already so badly injured! How could you expect him to donate his bone marrow to Nathan? I won't allow it!"

Mom had finally returned from her business trip. I was determined to tell her that I wasn't switched at birth at the hospital. I was her biological son.

"Isn't Henry just a cripple?" my sister, Queenie Zeller, snapped. "Why can't he step up and help Nathan? Haven't we been taking care of him out of charity all these years?"

She spoke about me as if I were some ruined, burnt-up scrap only worth picking through for spare parts.

"I certainly didn't raise you to be so heartless, Queenie! You know damn well who's responsible for Henry's condition!" Mom broke down in tears. She was devastated that Nathan was ill, but her conscience wouldn't let her harm me any further.

"I was the one who accidentally lit the gas canister! But it's not like any of you bothered to save him either! I mean, are we supposed to carry this guilt for the rest of our lives? It's not like donating bone marrow is that big of a deal! You guys might not care about Nathan, but I do!"

I then heard the door slamming loudly downstairs, accompanied by a few quiet, stifled sobs.

A moment later, Mom pushed open my door and gasped.

"Why didn't you call for help when you fell, Henry?" she asked.

I felt a faint itch beneath the bandages. I stared at Mom, tears slowly streaming down my face. "Mom, I'm actually—"

Before I could finish, Mom's phone rang. It was a call from the hospital.

"Nathan was diagnosed with leukemia on his birthday, Henry," she said. "I have to rush to the hospital now, so be good and stay home by yourself first. I'll come back to see you once I sort this out."

I didn't dare to stop her as she rushed out the door. I knew that everyone in the family had been living in constant guilt because of me, and now that Nathan was sick, I couldn't keep being this selfish. Still, I desperately wanted Mom and Dad to know that I was their biological son.

Bitter tears rolled down my severely burned, scarred face and slipped into my mouth. I decided to wait just one more day. I would tell Mom the whole truth once she took care of things at the hospital.

I waited eagerly, but Mom never came back. Instead, Queenie walked into my room.

"Are you awake, Henry?"

I was somewhat caught off guard by her gentle tone. After all, it had been so long since she had spoken to me like that.

Queenie arrived with a large bag of gifts, including the robot action figure I used to love most. I had never received anything like that since she brought Nathan Zeller home.