Chapter 2 You Are Not Jasper

Arissa was wondering whether she should go over there to check when she suddenly caught sight of the familiar little figure running toward her. She sighed in relief and immediately went forward to scoop the little one into her arms. Startled by being suddenly embraced by a strange woman, Gavin froze and stared at Arissa blankly. "You scared Mommy to death! Didn’t Mommy tell you to wait? Why are you running off on your own?" Arissa scolded him. "Exactly! We thought you were lost! If you didn’t come back soon, Mommy was about to make an announcement over the PA system!" Oliver chimed in, throwing a few stern words at 'Jasper' as well. Mommy? The word "Mommy" stirred something deep within Gavin’s heart. As his eyes fell on the other three faces, all identical to his, he stood frozen in shock. Who are they, and why do they look so much like me? Could it be that they ... Gavin was utterly shocked, but his little face showed hardly any emotion. Arissa assumed her earlier scolding had frightened him. Holding him close, she ruffled his hair, her tone softening considerably. "Mommy was just afraid you’d get lost. Where did you go?" "I ... " Gavin stammered, still reeling from the shock. Nevertheless, he answered her question. "I couldn’t find any cotton candy ... " He had come to the airport to pick up Daddy. While waiting for his flight to land, he had sneaked away from the bodyguards to search for cotton candy. After a long search and asking around, he finally found the cotton candy stand. But just as he reached the spot, this beautiful lady had swept him into her arms. Gavin’s heart raced as he stared blankly at Arissa. When her affectionate, doting eyes met his, his heart pounded even harder, and a wave of excitement surged within him. Is she my real mommy? He had always suspected that the bad "Mommy" at home wasn’t really his true mother. He couldn’t believe it—he had found his real mommy here! When he looked at the other kids and saw three faces just like his, he felt even more certain. It had to be true! He had a few brothers! A wave of warmth, joy, and excitement flooded through his chest. He had found his real mommy! No more being mistreated by the bad "Mommy"! By coincidence, Gavin and Jasper were wearing the same brand and color of clothing. Arissa didn’t notice anything unusual about the boy and ruffled his hair. "Alright, as long as you’re back safe. If you want cotton candy, Mommy will buy it for you!" Arissa turned to get cotton candy for the kids, but Zachary sensed something wasn’t right and studied Gavin carefully. Why does this Jasper in front of me feel a little strange? Jasper had an excellent sense of direction. From a young age, he’d never had trouble finding his way, yet he claimed he couldn’t find the cotton candy stand. "Where did you go just now?" Zachary leaned in and asked softly. "I ... There were just too many people!" Gavin still hadn’t recovered from the shock. His expression was unusually calm, lacking the usual energy Zachary typically saw in him. Upon seeing his reaction, Zachary's suspicion deepened. Why did it feel like Jasper had been swapped for someone else? He noticed the cartoon graphic on Gavin's shirt. Although it was quite similar, it wasn't the one Jasper had worn before he went missing! Zachary squinted his eyes, then suddenly leaned in close to Gavin's ear and whispered, "You’re not Jasper!" Oliver and Jesse, who were following Arissa to buy cotton candy, were too caught up in their excitement to what was happening. Gavin’s heart skipped a beat—he had been exposed! It turned out they had mistaken him for someone else! That meant there was another child who looked just like him. Did they confuse him with the missing child? Were they actually quintuplets?