Chapter 2
The air left the room.
I couldn’t breathe.
I stared at the photo in Daniel’s hands, the edges crumpling under his white knuckles.
The man in it was tall, with dark hair and a scar along his left jaw. He had his arm around Lily’s shoulder, and she was smiling like she’d known him her whole life.
The words on the back burned into my brain: To my Lily. Daddy will see you soon. I promise.
“Sarah.” Daniel’s voice was hollow. “Answer me.”
“I don’t know who he is.” The words came out too fast, too sharp. “I swear, Daniel, I’ve never seen him before.”
Lily was sobbing now, her whole body shaking against my leg. “He gave it to me at the park. He said not to tell. He said you’d be mad.”
Diane leaned against the cabinet, her arms crossed, a cold smile playing on her lips. The red mark from my slap was still bright on her cheek, but she didn’t touch it. She was winning, and she knew it.
“See?” she said, her voice soft, poisonous. “She’s been hiding things from you both. What else is she hiding, Daniel? How many other secrets are in this house?”
“Shut up.” I stepped toward her, Lily clinging to my hand. “You don’t get to speak.”
“Or what? You’ll hit me again? In front of your daughter?” Diane laughed, a dry, sharp sound. “You’re just like I always thought. Violent. A liar. Not good enough for my son.”
Daniel didn’t move.
He was still staring at me, his eyes wet, his face twisted like he was in physical pain. I’d seen that look once before—when his dad died. This was worse. This was betrayal.
“Daniel.” I reached for his free hand. “Baby, look at me. I would never lie to you about Lily. You know that. She’s ours. She’s everything.”
He flinched away from my touch.
My heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
“Ours?” He held up the photo. “This man says different. And Lily met him. Alone. At a park. And you had no idea.”
“I didn’t—”
“You never know anything, do you?” His voice rose, cracking. “You’re so busy working, so busy pretending this family is perfect, you don’t even notice when a stranger is talking to our daughter!”
Lily screamed louder, covering her ears. “Stop yelling! Please stop yelling!”
I picked her up, holding her tight against my chest, her tears soaking through my shirt. I looked at Daniel, my own tears finally falling.
“Not in front of her. Please.”
He closed his eyes for a long second. When he opened them, the warmth was gone. All that was left was cold doubt.
“Put her to bed,” he said. “We’re talking after.”
I carried Lily up the stairs, her small arms wrapped tight around my neck. She kept whispering, “I’m sorry, Mommy. I’m sorry I didn’t tell.” Over and over, like a prayer.
I tucked her in, sat on the edge of her bed until her breathing slowed, until she fell asleep, her face still streaked with tears. Then I kissed her forehead and walked back downstairs.
The dining room light was still on.
Daniel was sitting at the table, the photo spread out in front of him. Diane was standing by the sink, sipping a glass of water like she didn’t have a care in the world.
I stopped in the doorway.
“Where are your bags?” I asked Diane. “Daniel told you to leave.”
Diane raised an eyebrow. “Did he now? Daniel, are you really going to throw your own mother out when she just uncovered the truth about your wife?”
Daniel didn’t look up.
“Mom,” he said, quiet. “Not tonight. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
My blood ran cold.
He was letting her stay.
After everything she’d done to Lily. After everything she’d said.
I walked into the kitchen, my hands shaking. “You’re kidding me. She made our daughter eat off the floor. She’s been going through Lily’s things. She’s trying to break us apart.”
“Maybe she’s not the one breaking us.” Daniel finally looked at me. His eyes were red. “Maybe it’s you. With whatever this is.”
I stared at him.
I didn’t recognize the man in front of me.
The man who’d danced with me in the rain on our first date. The man who’d cried when Lily was born, who’d held her for three hours straight and said she was the best thing that ever happened to him. That man was gone.
“I’m going to bed,” I said, my voice empty.
I turned and walked up the stairs. I didn’t look back.
I got into our cold, empty bed and stared at the ceiling. Ten minutes later, Daniel came in. He grabbed a pillow and a blanket from the closet.
He didn’t say a word.
He walked out and closed the door.
I heard the couch creak downstairs.
Then I heard soft footsteps outside the bedroom door. Pausing. Waiting.
Diane.
She whispered through the wood, so quiet I almost didn’t hear it.
“He’ll never trust you again. You know that, right? This house is mine now. And Lily? She’ll be better off without a liar for a mother.”
Her footsteps faded.
I pulled the covers over my head and cried silent, shaking sobs until the sun came up.
I didn’t know then that Diane wasn’t just taunting me.
She was telling the truth.
May you like
She’d been planning this for months.
And the photo was only the beginning.
