He started crying, “They didn’t tell you, did they?! Baby, this isn’t soap! It’s used to decontaminate before surgery!” My heart dropped into my stomach. “What?!” I exclaimed, snatching the soap from his hands and examining it more closely. The fine print on the wrapper, which I’d never bothered to read, revealed the truth. It was an antiseptic wash, meant for sterilizing skin before medical procedures.

I felt a mix of confusion, betrayal, and anger. Why would my father do this? Why wouldn’t my mother say anything? I sat down on the edge of my bed, overwhelmed by the revelation. The cold showers, the mysterious soap — it all felt like some bizarre experiment I had unknowingly been a part of.

Jake sat beside me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “I’m so sorry,” he said softly. “I can’t believe they didn’t tell you.”