The Me You Made 2: Love, Passion and Revelation of the Family Secrets

After ensuring everything was in place, Joel left the office with a renewed sense of confidence.

By the time he arrived back at the Andersons mansion earlier than usual, the weight of uncertainty had lifted from his shoulders.

He stepped into the grand foyer, his usual charming demeanor intact. Lucy was in the sitting room, arranging flowers in a vase. She looked up, surprised.

"Joel, you're back early. Everything all right?" she asked with a warm smile.

"Absolutely," Joel replied smoothly, shrugging off his coat. "I just needed a quiet evening to clear my head."

Lucy nodded, pleased. "It's good to see you taking some time to relax. You've been working so hard lately."

Joel chuckled lightly. "You know me—always trying to keep up with the pace of this family."

He wandered into the living room, where Alexander was reading the day's paper.

Joel greeted him with a casual, "Evening, Alexander," before settling into a chair across from him.

Alexander glanced at him briefly. "You're home earlier than usual. Busy day?"

Joel gave a relaxed nod. "Productive, but nothing I couldn't wrap up early.

Thought I'd come back and enjoy some peace."

Alexander grunted in acknowledgment, his attention returning to the paper.

As Joel leaned back, a faint smile played on his lips. The plan had been executed perfectly, and now all he had to do was wait for the fabricated report to do its work.

While Lucy finished organizing the flowers, Ketra came downstairs to her.

"Ketra, are you ready to come along? I need an extra pair of hands today," Lucy said with a smile.

Ketra appeared from the pantry, nodding. "Of course, ma'am. Let me grab my things."

As they headed out, Lucy glanced at Joel and Alexander, who were seated in the living room. "We'll be back shortly. Take care of him ," she said with a playful smirk.

Alexander gave a faint smile, while Joel waved her off casually. "Don't worry, Lucy. We'll keep the peace."

Lucy and Ketra left, their voices fading as they discussed the shopping list.

The house fell into a quiet stillness, leaving Joel and Alexander alone.

Joel leaned back in his chair, an air of ease about him. "So, Alexander, how's the old man holding up?"

he asked, his tone light but with an edge that didn't go unnoticed.

Alexander folded his arms, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm managing just fine, Joel. Why do you ask?"

Joel shrugged, his smile faint but pointed. "Just making conversation. You seem… preoccupied lately."

Alexander didn't respond immediately, his gaze fixed on Joel. The silence between them grew, heavy with unspoken tension.

As the silence stretched, Joel suddenly stood up, a cheerful expression spreading across his face.

"You know what, Alexander? Sitting here feels like a waste of time. How about we take a little walk around the garden?"

Alexander raised an eyebrow, glancing at his wheelchair. "You've never taken an interest in my walks before. What's this about?"

Joel grinned, stepping behind the wheelchair. "Come on now, no need to be suspicious. Lucy's out, and I figured we could spend some quality time together. Family bonding and all that."

Before Alexander could protest, Joel began pushing the wheelchair toward the hallway that led to the garden.

The gentle click of the wheels echoed in the quiet mansion as Joel maneuvered them through the corridors.

His tone was light, almost too casual. "You've always been such a strong-willed man, Alexander. It's impressive, really. Even after… the accident."

Alexander's jaw tightened at the mention of the accident. "I've managed," he said curtly.

Joel chuckled softly, his hands gripping the wheelchair handles. "Oh, I know you have. But accidents have a way of… changing perspectives, don't they?"

Alexander glanced back slightly, his eyes narrowing. "What are you getting at, Joel?"

Joel stopped abruptly, leaning down slightly so that his voice was close to Alexander's ear.

" When did you gain your memory ?" Joel asked.

Alexander trembled silently, his hands gripping the armrests of his wheelchair tightly.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Joel chuckled, stepping around to face him. "Come on now, there's no need to play dumb. You and I both know the truth. You remember everything, don't you? The accident. Who caused it. The missing funds."

Alexander's expression remained stoic, though a flicker of unease crossed his eyes.

Joel smirked, crouching slightly to look him in the eye. "You've kept it a secret from Lucy, from Canary, from everyone. Why is that, Alexander? Why protect me?"

Alexander's jaw clenched. "You think I'm protecting you?" His voice was low, steady, but edged with a simmering anger.

Joel straightened, pacing slowly in front of him. "Well, what else would you call it? If you've remembered all this time, why haven't you exposed me? Is it guilt? Loyalty? Or maybe you're afraid of what might happen if Canary finds out?"

Alexander's gaze hardened. "I don't owe you any explanations, Joel."

Joel stopped pacing, his smirk widening. "Fair enough. But let me make something clear—if you're thinking of turning this into some kind of game, you'll regret it. Canary may be digging, but he hasn't found anything yet. And as long as you stay quiet, we can all keep pretending to be one big happy family."

Joel spoke with a chuckle.