When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 282: Truth and Lies

Chapter 282: Truth and Lies

Flashback: Seven Years Ago

The waves crashed gently onto the sandy shore, the sky painted a vivid blue with streaks of white clouds. It was the perfect day for the Lucas family’s summer vacation on their private island abroad.

Samuel Lucas, the lively and energetic young man that he was, bounded down the wooden steps of the vacation house with a surfboard tucked under his arm. His sun-kissed face lit up with excitement. "Come on, Dad!" he called out, his voice echoing. "Hurry! The weather’s perfect for surfing!"

Steven chuckled from behind, carrying a basket of food. "Hold on, son. Let me help your mom first. We’re not as quick as you."

Valerie emerged from the kitchen, smiling warmly at her son. "You’re way too excited," she teased. "Aren’t you worried about getting a sunburn?"

"Doesn’t matter," Samuel shot back with a cheeky grin. "I’m still your most handsome son."

Valerie laughed, shaking her head. "The weather is perfect. Fine, you go ahead. Your dad and I will catch up after we pack up the food."

"Yes!" Samuel exclaimed, running off toward the beach.

The sea shimmered under the bright sun as Samuel paddled into the water, the salty breeze filling his lungs. He had waited all year for this—the freedom of summer, the thrill of the waves. As he caught his first wave, his laughter echoed over the water.

But then, something went wrong. A strong wave came out of nowhere, pulling him under. Samuel struggled, disoriented as the current dragged him. His surfboard drifted away as he tried to resurface, only to hit his head on something hard. Darkness enveloped him.

---

Steven and Valerie arrived at the beach moments later, only to see a crowd gathering near the shoreline. An uneasy feeling settled in their stomachs. "What’s going on?" Valerie asked, clutching her husband’s arm.

As they pushed through the crowd, their world shattered. Samuel lay unconscious on the sand, his face pale and lifeless. A bystander was frantically performing CPR.

"Samuel!" Valerie screamed, dropping to her knees. She shook him, tears streaming down her face. "Wake up, sweetheart! Please!"

Steven quickly called for their medical team. The private island had no hospital, but their vacation house was equipped with a clinic and trained personnel. However, by the time help arrived, it was too late. Samuel had drowned.

Valerie refused to accept it. Her cries of anguish filled the house as Steven prepared for their son’s burial. The following day, Valerie saw Samuel’s lifeless body in the coffin and broke down completely.

"No!" she cried, her voice raw with pain. "This isn’t my son! My Samuel is still alive. He’s out there, surfing. I know it!"

Steven tried to calm her, but she ran out of the house, heading straight for the beach. She stood there, staring blankly at the horizon, as if willing her son to return.

As the sun set, Steven finally convinced her to return to the house. "He’s gone, Valerie," he said gently. "We have to let him go."

But as they walked back, a large wave crashed onto the shore. When the water receded, a body lay on the sand.

"Samuel!" Valerie screamed, rushing toward the figure.

Steven followed, his heart racing. As they drew closer, their eyes widened in shock—it was someone who looked exactly like their son, Samuel.

Steven knelt beside the unconscious young man, checking for a pulse. "He’s alive," he said, his voice filled with relief. "We need to get him to the clinic, now."

They carried the young man back to the house, where the medical team treated him. He had a head injury but was otherwise stable. As Steven looked at the young man’s face, he couldn’t shake the resemblance to his son.

Over the next few days, Steven’s investigation revealed the man’s identity. He was James Lucas, Steven’s nephew and the son of his estranged sister.

---

Present Day

Samuel—or rather, James—felt his knees weaken as the story unfolded. His mother’s sobs filled the room, while Steven’s voice remained steady but heavy with guilt.

"So... this is why," James whispered, his voice trembling. "This is why you’ve always been so distant. Because I’m not your son."

Valerie buried her face in her hands, unable to look at him. "I wanted to love you as my own, but I couldn’t forget the truth."

"It makes sense now. The way you’ve always looked at me... You’ve never looked at me like I was your son, not the way you do in those pictures." He swallowed hard, his throat dry. "You couldn’t even look me in the eye most of the time. Why? Because I’m not your son? Is that it?"

Tears streamed down his mother’s face as she buried her face in her hands. "It’s because every time I look at you, you remind me of my son. It hurts me so much knowing he’s already gone. It always makes me wish... I wish he was still here. I wish you were my son, but the truth is, you’re not."

Tears stung James’s eyes as he shook his head. "You let me live a lie. My entire life... a lie."

Steven placed a hand on his shoulder. "I had no choice at that time. Your grandpa was sick, and if he had learned that Samuel had died, it would have broken him. So, I decided to take you in and have you live as my son, Samuel. After all, you had lost your memories. We thought it was for the best."

James laughed bitterly, the sound hollow. "Best for who?" he asked, his voice breaking. "You should’ve told me. I deserved to know."

Samuel—or rather, James—stood still for a long moment. The words echoed in his mind, heavy and suffocating, yet somehow surreal. His hands trembled, and his lips twitched into a bitter, ironic smile. It was the kind of smile that betrayed the chaos storming inside him.

"No wonder," he said softly, his voice tinged with bitterness and disbelief, "no wonder we couldn’t find James." He looked up at his parents, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Because all this time... I am James. I’m the person we’ve been searching for."