Page 69 of The Chemistry of Us

I rammed my body as hard as I could into the man who raised me like I was his own but always treated me beneath him like I wasn’t good enough to be his son. It all made sense now. This was why he was always so hard on me.

To the man who I loved.

To the man who I knew as nothing but my father.

“You do not talk to her like that!” I yelled loud enough to shatter the windows.

His back hit the wall with so much force that he broke through the drywall. I moved away from him, hunching over and dry heaving from the adrenaline. My mom immediately came toward me, rubbing my back, apologizing profusely.

My dad stumbled from the wall, shaking drywall off his body from the impact of my blow. I stood, and we locked eyes.

I didn’t falter, the emotion taking over. “This still doesn’t excuse you for fucking someone in our house. In the home youbuilt a family in. Now when I think of this place, all it’s going to make me feel is sick. So no, Dad, it doesn’t excuse that. You fucked up everything.”

“Vaughan, I?—”

“Leave.”

“Vaughan—”

“Leave.” I stepped toward him in a menacing way.

He shook his head, looking at me with disappointment in his eyes before he turned to leave.

At the last second, I asked, “Does Tru know?”

Her adoptive mom spun to look at me.

With a nod, she answered my question and sent me into a tailspin.

My legs gave out on me.

I was in a daze where I couldn’t feel.

I couldn’t see.

I couldn’t think.

My mom sat in front of me on the balls of her feet. “I’m so sorry, Vaughan.”

“My whole life is a lie. Mom, I can’t. I can’t right now. Please don’t ask me anything. Please…not now.”

She nodded in understanding.

I didn’t think about her.

I didn’t think about him.

I didn’t even think about her fosters.

All I thought about was Tru…

And how she already knew the truth of lies I didn’t know existed and still smiled at me like everything was okay.

I loved her.

And she lied.

CHAPTER 26

---