one hundred and sixty two

**Pov Lily**

Tyler stared at me with a mix of confusion and indignation when I shared my suspicions about Hope's kidnapping. The truth was a heavy burden, but I knew I needed to share it with him.

"I suspect it was my distant cousin," I confessed, seeing his eyes narrow in disbelief. "The one who supposedly disappeared along with the rest of my family."

Perplexity took over Tyler. "Wait a minute. You said all members of your family disappeared during the fire. How did this guy survive? And why have you never mentioned this before?"

I explained, stumbling over my words, that my parents had sent him away before the fire, and confusion reigned in my mind as I tried to recall the tumultuous events of that fateful night. Even though he was part of the family, in the panic of escaping with Caroline in my arms, I had forgotten about him.

I recognized both of them in the ice cream shop footage. Tyler was outraged, pointing out that the cousin's actions were crimes that could be reported. I, h