Back in Lea's ward, Jake was pacing the room impatiently. He was waiting for the nurse to come back with news about whether or not the exit at the back of the hospital was safe for him to leave. But Lea's nurse walked in, carrying a laptop instead.
"Hey, got something you might want to see," the nurse said, placing the laptop on the table. "It's a live press conference with Mercy Rodgers."Jake raised an eyebrow. "Mercy? How do you know Mercy?"
" She is the reason we were able to hold the press at the gate. She is a share holder in this hospital. We didn't expect her to drop all of a sudden. And now she is going live and she said she had some news and also mentioned your name. I thought you might want to check. " The nurse clicked on the video stream, and Mercy's face filled the screen. She sat confidently in front of the crowd of reporters,“Thank you all for coming,” Mercy began, her voice steady. “I have a statement to make regarding recent revelations about our family.”Lea squeezed Jake’s hand. “What’s she talking about?”
Jake shook his head, his eyes glued to the screen. “No idea. But it sounds serious.”Mercy continued, her voice growing stronger with each word. “It has come to light that there have been serious deceptions within my family. Deceptions that have hurt many people, including myself and my brothers.”
Jake felt his heart rate become uneven. “What the hell is she on about?”
Lea leaned closer, her eyes wide with curiosity. “Let's just listen.” Mercy took a deep breath. “Jake...the one you came chasing here...the shining star, Jake” she paused, looking directly into the camera, “Jake is my brother.He is one of the Rodgers.”Jake’s jaw dropped. “What the...”
Lea gasped, her eyes darting between Jake and the screen. “Oh my God, Jake!”
“Jake is my mother’s flesh and blood,” Mercy declared. “He was switched at birth with Percy,my other brother.”Jake felt like the room was spinning. “She’s gotta be joking, right? This is some kind of prank.”
But Mercy didn’t stop. She provided details about the hospital where he was born, the records that confirmed the switch. “This doesn’t make Percy any less of a Rodger,” she concluded. “It just means our family gains another son.”
Jake’s mind raced, struggling to process the revelation. He almost fell off the bed. “Holy shit… She’s serious.”Lea squeezed his hand tighter.The reporters erupted with questions, but Mercy stood up, signaling the end of the conference. She walked off, the hospital gates shutting behind her, leaving the media in a frenzy outside.The nurse, who had been quietly watching, spoke up.“Looks like she’s got your back, Jake. That took guts.I don't know the credibility of the matter but her revelation was quite detailed.”
Jake sat in stunned silence, still trying to wrap his head around the bombshell Mercy had just dropped. His mind was spinning, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts.Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. All three of them,Jake, Lea, and the nurse,turned to see Mercy standing in the doorway.
“Hey, guys,” she said with a smile, stepping inside.Jake, Lea, and the nurse stared at her as if she were a ghost.
Mercy’s smile widened, and she walked straight up to Jake, pulling him into a tight hug. “Welcome to the family, Jake.”Jake, still in shock, slowly wrapped his arms around her. “What on earth...”She released him and moved around the bed to hug Lea. “Hey, Lea. How’re you holding up?”Lea blinked, still processing everything. “Uh, better now, I guess.”
Mercy pulled back, looking into Lea’s eyes. “Good. I’m glad to hear that.”Jake finally found his voice, his confusion giving way to a mix of anger and disbelief. “Mercy, what the hell was that out there? What did you just drop out of nowhere?”
Mercy turned to face him, her expression serious.“I think I already provided all the details if you are talking about the Live. Jake, our mother has been investigating you. And one domino after another fell into place.And here we are.”Jake shook his head, still reeling. “Investigating me? Why? How?”
“She was suspicious about you,I guess after the scene at the party and everything.She does that with everyone.I am sure it started as nothing personal.The detectives started digging into records,” Mercy explained, swinging both her hands left and right“And then everything just lined up.It was actually Phill and Percy who found the truth.”
Jake ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “This is insane.”Mercy placed a hand on his shoulder. “I know it’s a lot to take in. But you’re one of us, Jake. Welcome aboard.”Before Jake could respond, Mercy’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen and smirked. “Speak of the devil… It’s Mom.”Jake’s eyes widened. “Elizabeth Rodgers?” He gulped.
Mercy nodded, answering the call. “Hey, Mom. Yeah, he’s right here with me…, " Mercy frowned. “Mom, he’s still processing all this. Maybe we should give him a bit more time.Okay, I’ll tell him."
She ended the call and looked at Jake. “Mom wants you to come home.”Jake swallowed hard, feeling a mix of anticipation and fear. “Home, huh?”
Mercy nodded, her smile reassuring. “Yeah, home. Let’s go.”Jake’s skepticism was evident. “Home? Just like that?"Mercy nodded. “Yeah, home. I know it’s a lot to take in, but she wants to see you. We need to do this.”
Jake hesitated, glancing at Lea and the nurse. “I don’t know, Mercy. This is all...”Mercy stepped closer, her eyes locking onto his. “Jake...We can figure everything out... come with me this once. Alright? “