They Saved Him, Not Me

Bennett has always come second to Alistair, the son his parents raised after a hospital mix-up swapped the two boys at birth. When an earthquake strikes during a family vacation, his father carries the sleeping Alistair to safety and his mother grabs even the stray dog, while Bennett is left buried under the rubble for five days. He claws his way out alone, only to find his family celebrating their survival without him and blaming him for spoiling the party.

Cold and bruised, Bennett stops competing for their love. He calls his mentor, Professor Everard, and agrees to move to Valdoria for good. His parents only begin to panic when they notice his distance, and on the shared birthday he and Alistair were born, a cake and a watch bear only Alistair's name. The family's favoritism is no accident, and Bennett's silence unsettles them more than any outburst ever did.