You managed to pull a hat trick--you fooled Matt and you fooled the reader. By creating a ruse, using the vernacular that had been adopted in the first part, you lulled us all into thinking the story was going in one direction. Then, boom--it turned. Good job. I always like a good surprise. If the expected happens, why bother reading?
Welcome to Finish the Story. Don't believe I've read one by you before.