The scene moves to Ezekiel.
After packing his things, he boarded a plane and headed back home. Jeremiah was also on his way back that same day, but his flight was much shorter. Ezekiel was coming straight from the military, so his journey took much longer.
When Ezekiel finally arrived, he expected Lucas to be there waiting for him. But Lucas had already left for school early that morning.
Jeremiah went straight to Lucas's room. When he opened the door, the room was empty. A maid later told him Lucas had an early class and had already gone.
Jeremiah was a little disappointed, but you wouldn't see it on his face.
As he walked back toward his old room, he noticed someone in the garden, trimming the plants. He stopped a maid and asked,
"Who is that boy?"
"That's Mr. Darius's son," she said. "He just came yesterday. He'll be helping his father on the farm."
Jeremiah looked at the boy for a moment. He felt like he had seen him before, but he couldn't remember where. After a few seconds, he turned away and continued walking.
When he got to his room, his phone rang. It was his father.
"Where are you?" Swaries asked.
"I just got home," Jeremiah replied.
"Good. Make sure everything is ready for Ezekiel. I don't want him to lack anything."
"Alright, sir."
The call ended.
From that short conversation, one thing was clear.
Ezekiel was different.
Swaries loved all his sons — but Ezekiel was the one he held closest to his heart, and he didn't try to hide it.
Lucas's phone rang while he was with his friends. It was Jeremy.
"Where are you?" Jeremy asked. "I'm almost home."
Lucas paused. "Wait… you're already back?"
"Yeah."
That made Lucas smile. "Okay. I'll be there soon. Just one more class."
After he hung up, he couldn't stop smiling. He turned to his friends.
"My brother's home," he said. "My favourite one."
They laughed.
"Nice. So are you still coming to the bar with us?"
Lucas shook his head. "Nah. I'm going home to meet him. After this class, we're going together."
And just like that, nothing else seemed important anymore.
Night had already fallen when Lucas got home.
Jeremiah was in his room, talking on the phone, when Lucas quietly slipped in. He moved up behind him, turned him around, and jumped on his back.
"Hey!" Jeremiah laughed, almost dropping his phone.
For a moment, nothing else mattered. They were both laughing, the kind of laugh that makes the whole world feel lighter.
Jeremiah ended the call and looked at him. "When did you get back?"
"Just now," Lucas said, still smiling.
Jeremiah picked him up and dropped him onto the bed. "You're not a kid anymore. Behave yourself."
Lucas laughed. "So when are your brother and the teacher coming back?"
"Any moment now," Jeremiah said.
Lucas had just come back from school and hadn't eaten yet, so they decided to have something first. They called the kitchen to make Lucas's favourite.
Soon, they were sitting at the dining table, eating together, still talking and laughing like nothing else in the world could touch them.
And then…
Lily was standing a little distance away. He had just come back from work with his uncle, and his eyes fell on Jeremy and Ezekiel.
They didn't notice him.
He just stood there, staring.
The boys he once knew — the silly ones he grew up with — were now tall, grown men. So different that it almost felt like he was looking at strangers. It made his chest feel tight. He suddenly felt small, like he didn't belong in that space anymore.
So he turned to leave.
That was when Lucas saw him.
"Hey— you!" Lucas shouted. "You! You're the little brat that threw a stone at my car the other day!"
Ezekiel turned. "What?"
Lily froze. Then he quickly spoke, trying to explain. "It was a misunderstanding. I'm really sorry. It just happened."
His uncle Cyrus stepped in. "Please forgive him," he said. "It was just a small accident."
But Lucas was already upset. "He almost broke my baby," he said, talking about his car.
Lily looked at him, nervous. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to damage it."
Lucas frowned. "What are you doing here? Who do you work for?"
"I'm with my uncle," Lily said. "Cyrus."
Jeremy, who had been quiet, looked at him more closely. "What's your name?"
"Larius," he replied softly. "But people call me Lily."
The moment his name left his lips, something shifted.
The air felt heavier — filled with old memories, feelings that had never really gone away. Happiness, shock, and something deeper all mixed together.
Because the one they had forgotten…
had just walked back into their lives.
When it finally sank in that the Lily standing there was the same Lily they had known years ago — the boy they had promised to protect — something gentle filled the room. It wasn't loud. It was quiet, warm, and heavy with memory.
Lucas stared at him for a second. Then a smile slowly touched his face.
"So… you're really back," he said softly. "You really are Lily."
He stepped closer. "Welcome back, Lily."
Before anyone could say anything else, a worker hurried in.
"Master Ezekiel is back."
Jeremiah didn't wait. He turned and headed outside at once, Lucas right behind him. Lily followed, staying a little at the back, suddenly feeling awkward, like he wasn't sure if he still belonged in this world.
Ezekiel stepped out of the car and looked around the house. The place he had left four years ago. The place he had gone to war from. Everything felt heavy with memories.
Then he saw Lucas.
The little boy he remembered was gone. In his place stood a grown man.
Ezekiel moved forward and pulled him into a hug.
"Did you miss me?" Lucas asked, half-laughing, half-serious.
"Every single day," Ezekiel said quietly. "It hurt."
Jeremiah shook his head. "Stop acting like you didn't miss us too."
Lucas laughed. "Leave him alone. He's been through a lot. Come on — you need food, rest… everything."
Ezekiel didn't notice Lily.
Not at all.
He only saw his brothers.
Jeremy and Lucas were right there, pulling him in, talking over each other, laughing, touching his shoulders like they were afraid he might disappear again. Ezekiel took them both with him as they went inside, still talking, still smiling.
And just like that… Lily was forgotten.
He stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do. The warmth in the air faded. The noise moved away from him.
His uncle had told him to go back to the garage.
So he did.
Lily turned and walked away quietly, back to where he was supposed to be. No one called his name. No one looked back.
The boy they once protected…
was now just someone standing in the background.
And it hurt more than he wanted to admit.
Inside the living room, Jeremiah, Lucas, and the others were gathered around Ezekiel, trying to get him to talk about the military. They kept asking, gently at first, then more carefully, about what he had been through.
But Ezekiel shook his head.
"I don't want to talk about it," he said. "Not right now."
He stood up. "I just need to rest for a bit."
Before he left, Lucas suddenly said, "By the way… Lily's back."
Ezekiel paused. "Lily?"
Lucas looked at him. "You don't remember? Lily. The boy we used to play with at Grandma Natina's garden. All four of us."
Ezekiel frowned, trying to think. "Okay… but why was his name Lily?"
"It wasn't," Lucas said. "His real name is Lyris. We just called him Lily. You were the one who gave him that name."
Ezekiel rubbed his face, tired. "We'll talk about this later. I'm not in the right headspace right now."
He went to his room.
The moment he closed the door, everything he'd been holding back came rushing in. The exhaustion. The memories. The pain. He lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about Nathaniel — his best friend, the love of his life — and how he had lost him. Sleep wouldn't come.
Out in the garage, Lily was pacing, upset and talking to himself.
"They didn't even look at me," he muttered. "I don't care. I don't need them. I can leave this place, get a job, become someone. One day I'll be Lyris LaCroft, and my name will mean something. They'll remember me then."
"Wow," a voice said. "That was intense."
Lily turned. A small boy, about thirteen, was standing nearby.
"Where did you come from?" Lily asked.
"The bushes," the boy said casually.
"…What?"
"I was hiding. A rat scared me out."
"So you were listening to me?"
"Well, yeah. You were yelling in my garage."
"Your garage?"
"Yep. I live here. I'm Poppy. I'm one of the maids' kids."
Lily stared at him. "That's gross. You're standing on grease."
"Oh," Poppy said, looking down. "I thought it was just dirt."
They both paused.
"So," Poppy said. "You were talking about the Suarez brothers. You know them?"
"I used to," Lily said quietly. "A long time ago."
"And now they don't remember you, huh?"
"No."
"That's rough," Poppy said.
Lily sighed. "I should go."
Before he could move, his uncle walked into the garage. Poppy saw him and immediately ran off.
His uncle looked at Lily. "Stay away from the Suarez boys. Don't stir things up. We're here to work, not to cause trouble."
"Okay," Lily said softly.
"And you start school next week. I've already registered you."
Lily's eyes lit up. A small smile crept onto his face.
"Don't get too excited," his uncle added. "It's just a government school."
Lily shook his head, still smiling. "I don't care. Government or private — I've been waiting my whole life to go back to school."
His uncle told him to get back to work.
And Lily did — but this time, he couldn't stop smiling.