Chapter 2

Friday morning, I made Lily breakfast and double-checked her backpack.

"Don't forget Emma’s present." I tucked the wrapped art set into the side pocket.

"Don't kick your blankets off tonight."

"I know, Claire." She chewed her fried egg, her cheeks puffed out. "You really are the best."

I smoothed her hair, my heart completely numb.

After dropping her off, I emailed my freelance supervisor to take the day off.

By 3:00 PM, I was standing in a shadowed corner near the school’s pickup zone, a baseball cap pulled low and a surgical mask covering my face.

At 3:20, the kids flooded out of the gates like a flock of birds. I spotted Lily immediately. She stood by the curb in her pink backpack, looking down the street.

Minutes later, a pristine white SUV pulled up.

The passenger window rolled down, revealing the profile of a young woman. Long hair, flawless makeup. She smiled brightly and waved.

Lily ran over happily, yanked the back door open, and climbed in.

I clenched my hands in my coat pockets and flagged down a cab.

"Follow that white SUV," I told the driver. "Don't get too close."

He glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "Got it."

We trailed them into downtown Chicago, pulling up near a chain restaurant popular for family birthdays. I pulled my hat low, kept my distance, and followed them inside, finding a secluded booth diagonally behind theirs.

"Vanessa, I want the bear cake!" Lily’s voice was crisp and joyful.

"Of course. We’ll get the biggest one for our Lily," the woman replied. Her voice was sweet, melodic.

Then came the voice I knew better than my own.

"What do you want to eat, Vanessa?" Dominic asked softly. "You're eating for two now. You need to eat more."

My entire body went rigid.

Through the gaps in the plant leaves, I watched Dominic place his hand over Vanessa’s slightly rounded stomach. The tenderness on his face was an expression I hadn't seen in a very long time.

"When is the baby coming out to play with me?" Lily asked curiously.

"About four more months," Vanessa said, ruffling her hair. "You're going to be an aunt!"

She paused, asking with a smile, "By the way, your brother and I are getting married next week. Do you want to come to the wedding?"

"Yes! I want to wear a princess dress!"

Dominic chuckled, then dropped his voice. "We’ll have to come up with an excuse for Claire, though."

Lily looked up. "Dominic, why can't we tell Claire? She’s so nice."

The air at their table stilled.

"You're too young to understand," Dominic said, his tone hardening slightly. "Just eat your cake."

I sat in my booth. The ice in my untouched glass of lemonade had completely melted. Condensation dripped down the sides, cold and wet, just like my heart.

Wedding.

Baby.

Next week.

Every word was a sledgehammer to my chest.

I quietly snapped a few photos and slipped out of the restaurant before they left.

When I got home, Evelyn was already awake, struggling to reach her water cup. I hurried over and guided it to her lips.

"Claire, you look terrible," she said, studying my face. "Are you too tired?"

"Probably just a little cold," I forced a smile. "What do you want for dinner tonight? I can make you waffles, okay?"

"Don't fuss. You should rest, too."

I shook my head and walked into the kitchen.

During the twenty minutes it took to make the waffles, I leaned against the counter and dialed a private investigator.

"I need to know everything."

My voice was so steady it surprised even me.

"My husband's whereabouts for the last year, the woman he's seeing, the timeline of their relationship, and every legal detail you can get your hands on."

After hanging up, I turned on the faucet, slid down the cabinets, and hit the floor.

The tears finally came.

It wasn't a hysterical sob, but a suffocating, silent breakdown.

After a year of caring for Evelyn, I had even gotten used to shattering without making a sound.

Chapter 2

Friday morning, I made Lily breakfast and double-checked her backpack.

"Don't forget Emma’s present." I tucked the wrapped art set into the side pocket.

"Don't kick your blankets off tonight."

"I know, Claire." She chewed her fried egg, her cheeks puffed out. "You really are the best."

I smoothed her hair, my heart completely numb.

After dropping her off, I emailed my freelance supervisor to take the day off.

By 3:00 PM, I was standing in a shadowed corner near the school’s pickup zone, a baseball cap pulled low and a surgical mask covering my face.

At 3:20, the kids flooded out of the gates like a flock of birds. I spotted Lily immediately. She stood by the curb in her pink backpack, looking down the street.

Minutes later, a pristine white SUV pulled up.

The passenger window rolled down, revealing the profile of a young woman. Long hair, flawless makeup. She smiled brightly and waved.

Lily ran over happily, yanked the back door open, and climbed in.

I clenched my hands in my coat pockets and flagged down a cab.

"Follow that white SUV," I told the driver. "Don't get too close."

He glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "Got it."

"Vanessa, I want the bear cake!" Lily’s voice was crisp and joyful.

"Of course. We’ll get the biggest one for our Lily," the woman replied. Her voice was sweet, melodic.

Then came the voice I knew better than my own.

"What do you want to eat, Vanessa?" Dominic asked softly. "You're eating for two now. You need to eat more."

My entire body went rigid.

Through the gaps in the plant leaves, I watched Dominic place his hand over Vanessa’s slightly rounded stomach. The tenderness on his face was an expression I hadn't seen in a very long time.

"When is the baby coming out to play with me?" Lily asked curiously.

"About four more months," Vanessa said, ruffling her hair. "You're going to be an aunt!"

She paused, asking with a smile, "By the way, your brother and I are getting married next week. Do you want to come to the wedding?"

"Yes! I want to wear a princess dress!"

Dominic chuckled, then dropped his voice. "We’ll have to come up with an excuse for Claire, though."

Lily looked up. "Dominic, why can't we tell Claire? She’s so nice."

The air at their table stilled.

"You're too young to understand," Dominic said, his tone hardening slightly. "Just eat your cake."

I sat in my booth. The ice in my untouched glass of lemonade had completely melted. Condensation dripped down the sides, cold and wet, just like my heart.

Wedding.

Baby.

Next week.

Every word was a sledgehammer to my chest.

I quietly snapped a few photos and slipped out of the restaurant before they left.

When I got home, Evelyn was already awake, struggling to reach her water cup. I hurried over and guided it to her lips.

"Claire, you look terrible," she said, studying my face. "Are you too tired?"

"Probably just a little cold," I forced a smile. "What do you want for dinner tonight? I can make you waffles, okay?"

"Don't fuss. You should rest, too."

I shook my head and walked into the kitchen.

During the twenty minutes it took to make the waffles, I leaned against the counter and dialed a private investigator.

"I need to know everything."

My voice was so steady it surprised even me.

"My husband's whereabouts for the last year, the woman he's seeing, the timeline of their relationship, and every legal detail you can get your hands on."

After hanging up, I turned on the faucet, slid down the cabinets, and hit the floor.

The tears finally came.

It wasn't a hysterical sob, but a suffocating, silent breakdown.

After a year of caring for Evelyn, I had even gotten used to shattering without making a sound.