1.3 His smile faltered. He looked to Pathy, a wounded, awkward plea in his eyes. "Why is he ignoring me? Is he… is he still mad at me?" Pathy patted his head, her voice dripping with indulgence. "Patrick just got out, he's probably not used to things yet. It's not your fault." I was already in my old bedroom, pulling open the drawer under my bed. Dad's photos and his ring were still there. A wave of relief washed over me. Pathy appeared at the doorway. "Patrick," she called softly, "come out and eat. You're so thin I can see your ribs." I slid the drawer shut and followed her out. At dinner, Ethan kept prodding, his questions laced with a false innocence. "So, what was it like in there, bro? I heard it’s really rough, is that true?" "It’s not rough," I said, my voice monotone. "You read books and newspapers every day. After dinner, you go back to your dorm." "Oh. Well, that sounds alright, then. Not as bad as I imagined." A shadow of disappointment flickered across his face. Pathy placed a peeled shrimp on my plate. "Now that you're out, let's not talk about that place anymore," she said with a light laugh. "Just think of it as an experience. Put it behind you." Ethan's eyes darkened, and he fell silent. A moment later, as if remembering something, he jumped up and ran to his room. He came back with a small, exquisitely wrapped box and held it out to me. "This is for you, big brother. A welcome home present!" I didn't take it. I just kept eating. He didn’t seem to mind. With a grin, he opened the box himself. A luxury watch lay nestled on a velvet cushion, its face gleaming under the dining room lights. I saw it, and my pupils shrank to pinpricks. The blood in my veins turned to ice. It felt like I’d been plunged into a frozen lake. Ethan pushed the box closer, his face twisting into a grotesque, chilling grin. "What's wrong, brother? Isn't this your favorite watch? You loved it so much you had to steal it." "Now I'm giving it to you," he hissed, his voice a venomous whisper. "Aren't you happy?" That watch. The "pearl necklace" was a lie to the press. It had been a watch. A gift from Pathy to Ethan. And it was the very reason I’d spent three years behind bars.