Can’t Win Me Back

“I’m sure.” Lauren nodded firmly.

In an unusual departure from his usual composure, Cyrus fixated on the portrait, his usually steady demeanor giving way to a tense stillness, his eyes tinged with red.

Concerned, Lauren approached him, noting the uncharacteristic reaction.

“Cyrus, are you alright?”

Cyrus responded hoarsely, “I’m sorry. I need to go to the restroom. Where is it?”

Jasper raised his hand, indicating the direction. Cyrus immediately left with purposeful strides.

“Lyse, do you recognize him?” Jasper hugged Alyssa by the waist and asked with anxious urgency.

Alyssa took a deep breath, striving to quell her tumultuous emotions. “He bears a striking resemblance to my late brother, Damien, who perished in a plane crash.”

Jasper and Lauren widened their eyes in disbelief.

the Taylor family’s collective heart. Tears welled in Alyssa’s eyes as

family refrained from discussing Damien ever since his passing, especially in the presence of Mandy and Cyrus. Not

loss resurfaced, threatening to overwhelm her. “I can still vividly recall the day of Damien’s passing. Clad in his pilot uniform and a piece of luggage in hand, he stood in the sunlit courtyard, waving

never imagined it would be our

goodbye transformed into

Alyssa tightened, a heavy sadness settling upon him like an oppressive

to offer solace, yet any words seemed feeble in the shadow of such

gaze following Cyrus’ departure

the portrait doesn’t only look like Damien; he is the spitting

fingertips tightened around the paper. “But the authorities confirmed there were no

“This is unbelievable.”

His voice was slightly hoarse as he said, “Even if you didn’t see his body, the

if Damien miraculously survived the crash, why didn’t

it just

betraying his inner