Chapter 371

Howard and Josiah exchanged a look. Howard picked up the envelope, opened it, and his expression hardened before he frowned. Silently, he handed it to Josiah, who glanced at the letter and immediately panicked. Inside was a single sheet bearing a bold message: "The Josiah you see is not the real Josiah. He is a fraud and not a true member of the Flynn family."

"Grandma," Howard frowned, glancing at Miranda. "Where did this come from?"

"Does it even matter?" Miranda watched them sharply. Their exchanged glances revealed this wasn't junk mail. Something felt wrong.

"I need to know if this is true," Miranda said, her gaze landing on Josiah. "Are you really Josiah?"

Josiah's lips parted, his voice hoarse and rough, almost unrecognizable. "Grandma... I..."

"Grandma, he's my brother," Howard interrupted, shaking his head and looking at Miranda with a dark expression. "Are you seriously questioning Josiah's identity based on a random piece of mail? That hurts. You've always cared most about him."

"Yes, I care about him, and that's why I need answers," Miranda said, tears welling in her eyes. "Since your parents died, I've believed I was raising you, and now you're telling me the child I've cared for isn't a Flynn!"

"Grandma!" Howard snapped, his voice firm. "I told you Josiah is my brother—"

"Is he?" Miranda paused, her gaze fixed on the silent Josiah. "Fine. If we can't agree, I'll settle this my way." She grabbed Josiah's arm. "Come with me!"

"Grandma!" Josiah paled, trying to pull away. "Where are we going?"

Miranda chuckled coldly. "To the hospital! We'll do a DNA test, and the truth will be revealed. Let's go!"

"Grandma!" Howard and Josiah shouted in unison, panic clear in their voices.

Miranda, surprised, turned to Howard. She seemed to notice something for the first time. From the beginning, Howard had been protective of Josiah. "Don't you have any doubts?"

Howard nodded calmly. "No."

"Why?" Miranda's voice was thick with confusion. "Shouldn't you be surprised, questioning this? You don't seem shocked at all!"

Miranda's expression hardened. "Howard, tell me, do you know something? Did you already know he's not Josiah?!"

If Miranda insisted on a DNA test, the results would reveal everything. She had raised Josiah and knew him well. Deep down, she likely already suspected the truth.

Her breath hitched. "I knew it!" Miranda lunged at Josiah, grabbing his collar. Her eyes locked onto his features. "You look so much like him! How could you not be Josiah?" Her voice broke. "Where's Josiah? What did you do to him? Why are you standing here in his place? Answer me!"

Josiah lowered his head, ashamed to respond.

Miranda turned to Howard. "You tell me! Where's your brother? Where did he go!"

Howard was speechless.

"You knew all along he wasn't real," Miranda gasped. "I understand now. That year you two went missing… the one who came back wasn't Josiah, was it?"

Howard remained silent. The silence was a confession.

Miranda squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face. The truth hit her hard. She remembered now—Josiah had returned a changed person. The quiet, gentle boy she raised was gone, replaced by a bold, defiant one.

"I thought…" Miranda muttered. She had believed the change was due to the trauma of the kidnapping.

"Now I see…" she said. It wasn't a personality change; it was a different person entirely.

Overwhelmed with joy at her grandson's return, she hadn't questioned anything. That happiness intensified the pain she felt now.

"Josiah, my child?" Miranda clutched Howard's shirt, her voice shaking. "Where did you take your brother! Answer me! Bring Josiah back!"

Howard frowned, his expression grim. "He's gone. Josiah is dead."

If Josiah hadn't died, Howard wouldn't have needed a replacement. After losing his parents, Howard had feared his grandmother's reaction to losing Josiah too. That's why he brought back the current Josiah.

Miranda froze. "Josiah is dead…"

A heart-wrenching cry escaped her lips. She gasped for air, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed toward Howard.

"Grandma!" Howard caught her, but before he could react, Josiah, noticing Howard's leg injury, scooped Miranda into his arms.

"I'll call for help!" Howard said.

"Okay," Josiah replied.

They rushed Miranda to the hospital.

At the hospital, Howard and Josiah stood tense and silent. Josiah's brow was furrowed with guilt. "It's all my fault. I've caused Grandma so much pain."

"Don't say that," Howard said. "I decided to bring you back. You were just going along with me. If anyone's to blame, it's me."

"No," Josiah shook his head, his gaze dropping. "Before I met you, I lived miserably. You made me feel human again. I can't blame you."

Howard fell silent. He knew Josiah was fiercely loyal and driven by duty. He had never taken advantage of the Flynn family, even when Howard was unconscious for years.

"The letter," Howard said, his tone serious. "I've already asked Harvey to investigate. That person is the one who's been hurting us."