Regretting My Return

My son, Ryan Foster, and my daughter, Annie Foster, clung tightly to the hem of Quintessa Stone's dress.

They watched me warily, as if I were some heinous criminal.

I gripped the blanket tightly as wave after wave of sharp pain spread through my chest.

My husband, Yates Foster, tightened his grip on my shoulder.

I looked up at the others around me.

They had been discussing the emergency alert system they'd installed on my phone.

Clearly, they hadn't expected Quintessa to walk through the door at that moment.

My parents looked embarrassed as they explained, "While you were unconscious, Tessa took care of us. We'd planned to introduce her to you properly when we got back."

My mother-in-law, Hailey Parker, chimed in. "That's right. Now that you're awake, you two should get along and stop making us worry, okay?"

Quintessa smiled and walked over to me, a provocative glint in her eyes.

I said nothing. I silently told the System to stop.

"I'll give you an answer in a couple of days."

The System let out a soft sigh before falling dormant in my mind.

Seeing me ignore her, Quintessa's eyes turned red.

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, but she forced a smile in front of everyone.

"I was too impulsive. It's only natural that Lillian hates me. I'll leave for now."

She didn't give anyone else a chance to react.

She simply turned and walked away.

Hailey stamped her foot anxiously and hurried after her.

Yates instinctively got to his feet, but the moment our eyes met, he froze for a moment before sitting back down.

He pulled me tightly into his arms.

Just as he had comforted me in the past, he said, "Don't overthink it. You're the only one in my heart."

Annie gathered up her skirt and hurried after her, while Ryan turned and glared at me resentfully before slamming the door shut with a deafening bang.

I didn't understand.

How had my two adorable little babies become like this?

Seeing me fall silent, my parents went out to arrange my discharge.

Not long afterward, I was wheeled out in a wheelchair.

But it wasn't until I got in the car that I realized this wasn't the way home.

I couldn't help asking, "Dad, if I remember correctly, this isn't the way home, is it?"

My father's hands trembled slightly on the steering wheel before he smiled. "Our Lily's memory is as sharp as ever."

He took a long detour before finally bringing us back home.

At first, I didn't understand what he was doing.

But the moment I stepped through the front door, I understood.

Our family photo had been taken down and replaced with a photo of them with Quintessa.

I stared blankly at the photo on the wall before suddenly striding upstairs.

I pushed open the door to my bedroom.

Just as I thought, Quintessa had taken over my bedroom and made it her own.

My chest heaved as I stared at the completely different décor in the room.

Quintessa was there, reading Ryan a bedtime story.

I let out a mocking laugh.

For the past five years, I had diligently completed every mission the System assigned me, all so I could return and be reunited with my family.

But who would have thought?

There was no longer a place for me in this home.

"You were planning to send me somewhere else from the very beginning, weren't you?"