Alan awoke suddenly from his slumber, sweat trickling down his face, his heart pounding, breaths heavy—he had that dream again. Alan took a moment to familiarize himself with his surroundings. The room was dark. His stomach wasn't growling, and his bedding didn't smell—what had happened?
He remembered he was at Clarisse's—the old woman who'd helped him. Then it struck him: he had called her by name before she'd even introduced herself.
How did she know me? Why did she help me? Questions raced through Alan's mind. A sliver of light peeked through a crack in the garage door, signaling morning. He didn't want to leave the garage until the old woman called, so he waited patiently for her summon.
The light fell on stacks of magazines and newspapers. Alan moved to the switch beside the door and turned it on, illuminating the room dimly. He approached the newspapers and magazines, noticing a collection of financial dailies, business journals, and publications on the wealthy families of Karath. To his surprise, he spotted a magazine featuring the Williams family. Clarisse seemed to have everything on them—and the Hues.
From the rise of the Williams family to their tragic downfall and even the whereabouts of their adopted son, she had detailed records. Alan was so engrossed in the Williams magazine that he didn't notice the door creak open.
"Strange, isn't it? To think that Alan Williams—from the house of Williams—could bring himself to my doorstep," Clarisse's voice broke the silence.
"Why do you have all this?" Alan asked, startled. Trying to regain his composure, he continued, "And how did you know I was a Williams?"
"Sorry to startle you. I'll explain everything in time, but for now, I'll tell you how I recognized you," she said. She explained how the magazines had photos of him with the Williams family and how she'd noticed him sneaking food from her cat's bowl occasionally. His resemblance to Alan Williams had been unmistakable.
"And what do you want with me?" Alan asked, tears welling in his eyes as he tried to contain the painful memories this moment had resurfaced.
"Pull yourself together, Alan. All I want is to help you. For now, I'll take you to a barber, get you some new clothes, and offer you a job."
Alan considered his options but decided to go with the flow for now, hoping he might eventually understand her intentions more clearly. With little hesitation, he accepted the job offer—what other option did he have?