Stolen Identity, True Revenge

Cold water hit my face, shocking me awake in the dingy back room of Oakhaven Eats.

My son Leo stood over me, a dripping glass in his hand, his child's voice sharp with accusation.

But I jolted awake with a searing memory: the Philadelphia alley in 2014, the freezing rain, Amelia’s triumphant smile as I drew my last breath.

Then, darkness—my death, nine years in the future.

My mother-in-law, Carol Bishop, stormed in, her face a familiar mask of disapproval, instantly demanding my meager tips and shaming me for being a ‘bum’ compared to her ‘hero firefighter’ son Mark.