Kenith, or rather Riley, was curled up happily against his mom, the warmth of her body soothing him as they watched cartoons on a lazy Sunday morning. The soft glow of the television bathed the room in flickering colors, but Kenith wasn’t paying much attention to the show. He was content—deeply, genuinely content—in a way he hadn’t been for a long time. Snuggling up with his mom had become his favorite thing, and though Sam always teased him about being a “mommy’s boy,” it didn’t bother him. For once, Riley felt like he was being his true self, embracing the love and comfort he had always wanted but never allowed himself to enjoy as Riley.
As Kenith, he had found a life that made him happy. Yes, he could still remember his life as Riley—the fame, the adoration, the rush of being a professional soccer player—but none of it had filled the void he hadn’t even known existed. This life, with Sam, his mom, and even Jeff as his dad, was different. It was warm and filled with real love. But Jeff—Jeff wasn’t his dad, not really. He couldn’t forgive him for what he had done, couldn’t erase the memory of how Jeff had taken his life away and rewritten him into a new existence without his consent.
But Riley—now fully aware of who he had once been—wasn’t just going to let Jeff get away with it. And so, his plan for revenge had been set into motion.
Last night, after weeks of careful thinking, he had taken the next step. He had used the app—the Chronicle—to begin Jeff’s slow transformation. Over the next six to seven months, Jeff would start to lose his hair. His once-healthy smile would degrade as his teeth became crooked and stained. And worst of all, he would begin to gain weight—an unstoppable progression that would turn him into a bloated, miserable shell of his former self. It would be slow, unnoticeable at first, but relentless.
Kenith smiled to himself, snuggling deeper into his mom, feeling her warmth. The transformation wasn’t just about changing Jeff’s appearance—it was about stripping away everything that had made him the man Kenith’s mom had fallen in love with. In time, Jeff would become so unattractive, so unappealing, that even his mom wouldn’t be able to ignore it. She would start to find him repulsive, her love for him fading with each pound he gained, each hair that fell, each flaw that surfaced.
Kenith had even thought about the next phase of his plan. Once Jeff had become someone no one could love, his mom would leave him. She would take Kenith and Sam with her, and they would finally be free from Jeff’s influence. By then, Kenith would use the app to introduce someone better into his mom’s life—someone who deserved her love. He hadn’t settled on the details yet, but one idea stood out: Uncle Riley.
The clone of Riley—his old self—was perfect in every way. He was, after all, a reflection of the greatness that Riley had once embodied. What better way to make things right than by replacing Jeff with Riley’s clone? He was already part of the family, and his mom would never suspect anything. She would fall in love with him, and together, they would build a life free from the man who had stolen everything from Kenith.
The idea brought a smile to Kenith’s face as he imagined it all falling into place. His mom, happy and in love with the perfect man. Sam, living a carefree life. And Kenith—finally free of the shadow of Jeff—would continue to live as Kenith, the life he had grown to love.
There was, of course, the matter of Sam. Sam wasn’t stupid. He had already noticed the changes in Kenith, the shift in his attitude and the way he treated Jeff. Sam had always been more perceptive than people gave him credit for, and Kenith knew he couldn’t keep his twin in the dark forever. But that part of the plan could wait. Once they were free of Jeff, Kenith would deal with Sam’s curiosity.
For now, though, everything was proceeding as it should. The app was safely hidden on his phone, where Jeff could never find it. And the changes would happen slowly enough that no one would suspect anything—until it was too late.
Kenith felt his mom shift beside him, wrapping her arm around him and pulling him closer. “You’re so cuddly today,” she said with a soft laugh, kissing the top of his head. “You’re getting too old for this, you know?”
Kenith smiled, burying his face in her side. “I’ll never be too old for this, Mom,” he murmured, his voice warm with affection. She was everything to him, the one person in his life who had always loved him unconditionally. He couldn’t wait to see her free from Jeff, to see her happy with someone who truly deserved her.
The thought of Jeff’s slow downfall filled him with a sense of satisfaction, and as he lay there in his mom’s arms, he knew he was in control. He had the power now, and he was going to use it. For the first time since his memories had returned, Kenith felt like he was truly at peace.
“Love you, Mom,” he said quietly, a soft smile on his lips as he closed his eyes.
“Love you too, sweetie,” she whispered, stroking his hair.
Kenith drifted off into a light, contented sleep, knowing that his plan was already in motion. Soon, Jeff would start to change, and their world would begin to shift. But for now, he was just a 12-year-old boy, snuggled up with his mom, happy to be exactly where he was.
Everything was going according to plan.