"Go to hell, Simon," Valerie said. "I'd rather not be paid visits by people who want to see me get the chair."

"They don't give people the chair for arson," Simon said.

"I said that you want me to get the chair," Valerie snapped. "I didn't say there was a possibility."

"Where's my son?" Simon demanded, cutting right to the chase.

"This again?"

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Simon shouted. Simon's raised voice finally caused Valerie to sit up and stare at her husband. Still, she was about as committed to giving him her full attention as she was to reliving the strip search she'd been forced to endure upon being booked in this hellish excuse for a weekend spa.

"Simon, stop it," Felicia Bale said, approaching the cell.

"She's only supposed to have one visitor," Simon said.

"Yes, well she's not actually at the prison yet," Felicia reminded him. "And Detective Grady is a kind person."

"At least someone here is," Simon muttered.

"Yes!" Valerie said. "Me!"

"All right, Valerie, let's not say things we don't mean," Felicia responded.

Surprised by Felicia's bluntness, Valerie rose to her feet and gripped the cell bars. "I need to get out of here. I can't take this. I was sentenced to nine years! Nine goddamn years for a little fire! You don't see them trying to arrest Mother Nature for those damn California wildfires!"

"I came here to tell you that someone filed kidnapped charges against you," Felicia said.

"Kidnapping?" Valerie demanded. "Who in the hell would — oh, of course. My doting husband."

"Tell me where Matt is and I'll drop the charges," Simon snapped. "You're keeping him somewhere aren't you? This is about his drug problem."

"Drug problem?" Felicia demanded. "Matthew went to rehab. I thought he was clean."

"Oh, he was far from clean," Simon said. "Did she tell you that Matt started using again and she threw him out of the house? This is before she tried to have him locked up in Sacred Heart. Claiming he was crazy."

"Shut up, Simon," Valerie snapped.

"Matt had problems because of Valerie's lies," Simon continued. "She'd been lying to him about his father. She'd been lying to me."

"What are you talking about?" Felicia demanded.

"I'm not Matt's biological father," Simon said. "Kyle Maddock is. But of course that's all she's been willing to tell me about —"

"Oh my God," Felicia gasped. "But he's...he's dead. He killed himself twenty years ago."

"He didn't kill himself," Valerie said softly, fighting back tears. "My father had him killed. Because he didn't want us dating. Because he told me that Kyle was my brother. Our father slept with Melissa's mother, she gave birth to Kyle. We fell in love...we didn't know. And by the time we did...I was pregnant. And that bastard Kevin Hanley had him killed."

"Did Matt know about this?" Simon demanded.

Valerie didn't respond.

"Valerie!" Simon shouted. "Is that why you got rid of Matt? Did Matthew know that he was a product of incest?!"

It was ridiculous, even she knew, that she had made this into a life and death situation, but it was all she could do to not constantly think about the fact that her son — someone she'd never seen before — was behind these doors. And Hugh, her former pimp, was not the only responsible for keeping that from her. Her cousin Aaron was too.

"Can I help you?"

Melissa turned around to find an attractive young man, no more than twenty-five years old, standing before her. He was wearing workout clothes, and tiny beads of sweat were dripping from his forehead. But to Melissa, it was more than the glow from his workout that was getting to her...she was feeling something else.

"Are you here to see my father?"

"Are you...are you Hugh's son?" Melissa asked.

"Yeah. I'm Tyler Rogers," he said. "And you are?"

"I'm Melissa," Melissa said. "Melissa Bale."

"I'm sorry, I've never heard that name before," Tyler said.

"I assumed you wouldn't have," Melissa said. "There's...there's something I need to tell you about —"

"Melissa!"

Melissa spun around and froze like a deer in the headlights when she was the door to Hugh's condo has been swung open, and now, standing in the doorway was Hugh himself.

"Melissa what in the hell are you doing here?" Hugh demanded, grabbing her arm, but still eliciting no response from her. "Answer me!"


HANLEY HOME

"What the fuck!" Vince cried. "Eric! What are you doing?!"

"I'd gotten a glimpse before in your gym clothes," Eric said. "I just wanted to see what the entire package was."

"Eric, get the fuck out of my room," Vince said.

"I've told you before that I'm not attracted to you," Eric said, plopping down on Vince's bed. "But maybe I'll change my mind. I mean, if that's you after you just got out of the shower, I can only imagine —"

"Get. Out," Vince snapped, just before a knock at the door.

"Come in," Eric said.

"Eric!" Vince gripped his towel to make sure it was covering everything as the door opened and Michael Hanley entered the room.

"What's going on in here?" Michael demanded.

"Eric is being irritating," Vince said. "Michael, I didn't know you were home."

"I didn't know you were home until Riley told me," Michael said.

"I don't have class on Mondays, so I came home early for Thanksgiving break," Vince said. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to say hello," Michael said. "Your mother also wants to speak to you about Thanksgiving cooking arrangements."

"Oh lord," Vince muttered, grabbing his clothes from his dresser. "I'll go and talked to her before I leave."

"Where are you going?"

"The hospital," Vince said. "You know that son of a bitch Mark Zane who tried to torch me last year? He's been taken to Memorial. Someone tried killing him and he was put into a coma. It was on the news."

"Oh," Michael said softly. "That's...unfortunate that he's not dead."

"I know, right?" Vince said. "Later."

Vince hurried out of the room with his clothes, glaring at Eric once more before leaving. Eric stood up to leave as well, but Michael closed the door behind Vince and rested his hand on Eric's shoulder.

"I want you to stay away from Vincent," Michael said, not a trace of amusement in his face.

"Chill out, pops," Eric said. "My bro and I were just talking."

"Lest you not forget why you were sent to boarding school in the first place?"

"I thought it was so I could pray the gay away," Eric muttered.

Michael shoved Eric against Vince's dresser and glared at him with an angry intensity. "Your being gay has nothing to do with it. It's your behavior that's the problem."

Eric pushed his father out of his way and grabbed the doorknob. "You know, if you were a little more concerned about your own kids than the black family you decided to move on up into the mansion, maybe you'd see that I've changed. Maybe you'd be worried about why no one's heard from Ariel in over two years since she dropped out of school."

"Your sister came home," Michael said softly. "And then she left just as quickly. She made her own choices. You remember what I said."

"Can do," Eric said, slamming the door as he left.


HOLDEN HOME

"Aunt Felicia, is Valerie audited?" Sara asked. "Are we getting kicked out?"

"Huh?" Felicia glanced up from the coffee table. "Oh, hi Sara. No, we're not being audited. We're just...it's a long story. But I'm looking for proof that Valerie is hiding Matt somewhere."

"Oh, so you finally figured out she was lying?"

"You think she's lying too?"

"Of course. I'm not stupid," Sara said, laughing. "Um...sorry."

"No, it's fine," Felicia said. "I was married to Robert for twenty years. Some of the stupidity was sure to have rubbed off."

"Need some help?" Sara asked.

"You don't have to help," Felicia replied. She also didn't want Sara helping in case they stumbled across any information that confirmed what Valerie had admitted at the police department. It was still too much for Felicia to take in herself. She couldn't believe that Valerie had continued to keep the secret and spin lies to protect herself, and yet, part of Felicia knew that was exactly what Valerie would do. Lying was second nature to her.

"I want to," Sara said.

She sat down on the edge of the couch and picked up a stack of papers.

"What's that smell?" Felicia asked, glancing in Sara's direction.

"I was doing a project at the homeless shelter," Sara said. "You know those old people. Booze and pot."

"Of course," Felicia said, dismissing her train of thought and returning to the papers.

"West End Psychiatric Facility," Sara said, reading aloud. "I knew Val was a nut. But she's like, legally a nut."

"No, she tried to have Matt put in a — wait, that's not Sacred Heart?" Felicia said.

"This place is in London," Sara replied.


WEST END PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY
LONDON

She stopped at the end of the hall and peered inside the room, finding a young man huddled in a corner, staring off into space. His expression was blank.

Dr. Ellis opened the door and closed it behind her, moving toward the bed where he was seated. She sat down in the chair across from him.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Ellis," she said. "It's very nice to meet you, Matthew."



FORDHAM BAY UNIVERSITY
VINCENT MOORE & BLAKE THOMAS' DORM

Blake titled his head to smile at Aaron. "Well, it's more like you're the hot professor who's having a torrid affair with one of his students."

Aaron shrugged. "I'll take that."

He sat up in Blake's bed and glanced over at Vince's belongings.

"You sure he's gone for the week?"

"Yep," Blake said. "Called me when he got home. So we have got the entire place to ourselves. How about that?"

"Perfect," Aaron said, kissing Blake.

"Are you okay?" Blake asked.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You seemed stressed out when you got here."

"It's just something that's going on between my cousin and I, nothing you need to worry about."

"But I care about you, so I worry," Blake said.

Aaron smiled. "That's sweet. Honestly. But it's merely something that I need to tell Melissa. I just don't know how to do it."

"Oh, so it's a secret."

"Yes. It's a secret," Aaron said, laughing. "Why so curious?"

"It's just...I know what secrets can do to a family," Blake said. "Trust me. It's better if you just tell Melissa what you need to tell her."

"Perhaps," Aaron said. "But you're keeping a secret of your own. Our relationship."

"That's different," Blake insisted.

"Of course it is," Aaron said. "This secret is fun."

Aaron rolled over onto Blake and continued kissing his neck, slowing moving his fingers down the side of his body.


HOLDEN HOME

"I'm just glad I could help," Felicia said softly, sitting on the arm of the couch. "I can't really believe it."

"You were always far too trusting of Valerie," Simon said. "Of Robert. Of Michael."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"They've all used you in their own way," Simon replied. "You know, I always thought that you'd come out of your divorce stronger. Not taking anymore bullshit from this family. But you're still here. And I don't even want to get into what the hell Leslie is doing with her life. Marrying Michael?"

"My brother is a good man," Felicia insisted. "I believe that."

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

"Yes, well I'm sorry you abandoned your family and decided to treat your wife the way you have," Felicia snapped, having had enough. "You and Robert have a lot in common that way."

Simon smirked. "I guess I was wrong. You'll fit in with this family just fine."

"Go and find your son, Simon," Felicia said.

"I'll book the next flight I can get going to London," Simon said, nodding. "It may be difficult seeing as how it's Thanksgiving, and I don't exactly have my Hanley connections anymore, but...I'm bringing my son home."


HUGH ROGERS' APARTMENT
ATLANTIC CITY

"Dad, what's going on?" Tyler demanded.

"Why don't you tell him what's going on, Hugh?" Melissa asked, challenging him. She pulled her arm out of his grasp and stared him down. "Tell him about the secret you've been keeping from me. From him."

"Who are you?" Tyler asked, irritated. "And why are you bothering us?"

"I didn't want to have to do things this way," Melissa said. "But I'm your —"

"Shut your mouth," Hugh said, interrupting her. "Tyler, come inside."

"No, Hugh!" Melissa cried. "The lies stop now! They all stop right now!"

She took Tyler by his hands and looked into his eyes, smiling at him.

"Tyler, I know this might be hard for you to swallow, but I'm...I'm your mother," Melissa said. "I'm your mother."

Tyler pulled away from her. "Is this some sick joke? My mother is dead."

"No, she's not," Melissa said, shaking her head. "She's right here. But trust me, I had no idea you were alive. Your father made sure of that."

She turned back to Hugh.

"You used to make me sleep with you, remember that?" Melissa whispered. "This was the result. But you took my son from me to keep me working for you. You could have me taking a baby to my tricks!"

Hugh slapped Melissa across the face. "You stupid woman! You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Dad, stop!" Tyler cried. "What this woman is saying...is this true?"

Melissa nodded. "Yes. And I can prove it, Tyler. I can prove it."


MARQUETTE COVE POLICE DEPARTMENT

"I'm sorry," Felicia said. "But Simon has a right to know that his son is at some psychiatric facility in London. And you really don't need kidnapping charges brought against you right now."

"I don't give a damn about those charges!" Valerie snapped. "I care about protecting my son. He has a drug problem. He needs help."

"In a psych ward, Valerie? I'm not an idiot," Felicia said. "You want to keep him quiet about...about what you told me. Don't you?"

"He shouldn't have found out!" Valerie screamed. "He never should have found out!"

"Valerie, calm down," Felicia whispered. "The guard is going to come and see what's wrong if you keep shouting."

"This is Melissa's fault! She knew, Felicia. She knew."

"What?"

"She knew about Kyle being related to us," Valerie said. "And she didn't do anything to stop him! Because she hated me so much for taking her brother away from her. That lonely spinster just wanted someone to be around her. She couldn't have Kyle, so she decided to ruin my life! Then she went and dug her hooks into Robert and —"

"Valerie, enough!" Felicia shouted. "You can't keep blaming people for your problems. You're going to have to grow up."

"You can't bring Matt home," Valerie sobbed, sinking to the floor. "You can't let him go through the embarrassment. I won't let Simon do that."

Felicia frowned, looking at her sister with pained empathy. "I'm sorry, Val. But you really don't have a say in the matter."


WEST END PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY
LONDON

"You're not Dr. Monroe," Matt said softly.

"No, I'm not," Dr. Ellis replied.

"I knew you were new," Matt continued, still staring off into the distance. "Dr. Monroe knew better than to come inside without a guard."

"What?"

Matt reached under his pillow and quickly produced a syringe. He thrust it forward, stabbing Dr. Ellis in the neck. She tried to cry out, but she couldn't speak. Whatever Matt had stabbed her with was fast-acting. Within seconds, she collapsed onto the floor.

"That'll only hurt for a while," Matt said, standing up with no signs of his daze remaining. "Christ, I've been waiting for them to send someone new forever."