Chapter 4

I stood in our kitchen, my fingers trembling as I stared at my phone screen. The Instagram story Vanessa had posted just hours ago showed her and Ryan at Le Bernardin, candlelight dancing across their faces as they toasted with champagne. The timestamp showed 8:17 PM—exactly when I'd been lying in a hospital bed, terrified about my baby's wellbeing after Marcus had rushed me to Mount Sinai.

The front door clicked open. I didn't turn around.

"Jess?" Ryan's voice carried that familiar note of practiced concern. "You're still up?"

Slowly, I turned to face him, holding up my phone so…