Chapter 3

I sprinted out of the room.

Chloe was shoving Lily. Instinct took over, and I caught my daughter before she hit the floor.

"Why did you push her?" I demanded.

Chloe rubbed her eyes and instantly burst into theatrical tears, pointing a finger at Lily. "She yelled at me! I barely touched her! Adrian, she yelled at me!"

I stepped forward to bat her pointing finger away.

When Lily was three, Adrian took her to the supermarket and neglected to change her diaper. She cried for hours while strangers stared and pointed at her. Ever since then, she was terrified of people pointing at her.

She cowered against my chest, trembling. I glared at Chloe.

"Put your finger down."

Chloe clearly understood, but she deliberately raised her finger higher.

I took one step forward, but Adrian brushed past me, shielding Chloe with his body.

"Claire, what are you doing?"

Chloe grabbed his shirt, sobbing hysterically. "Adrian, I didn't do anything! She said I'm a stray! She said I don't have a dad!"

Fury flashed in Adrian's eyes. He scooped Chloe up, his voice softer than I had ever heard it.

"You're not a stray. I'm right here."

"Your mom had you all by herself overseas, and I wasn't there. That's on me."

I froze. I only knew Chloe was born while Vanessa was living abroad.

So Adrian is her biological father?

No wonder he doted on her. Vanessa gave him a child. Of course he treated them like royalty.

Lily wriggled out of my arms, her voice shaking.

"Dad? You're my Dad. Please don't be hers. Please?"

Adrian fell silent.

For a second, he looked genuinely affected by Lily's plea. But then Chloe buried her face in his neck, clinging to him for protection.

Adrian's expression hardened again.

"Enough, Lily. Go home."

In that exact moment, I watched the light in my daughter's eyes permanently die.

Margaret walked out of the bathroom. Vanessa was right beside her, their arms linked like family.

Seeing Chloe crying, Vanessa didn't take her from Adrian. She just walked over and cooed at her. Adrian took the birthday hat from Vanessa's hand and gently placed it on Chloe's head.

The three of them stood there. A picture-perfect family.

In six years, Adrian had never celebrated Lily's birthday. He had never put a birthday hat on her head.

I reached out to cover Lily's eyes, but she gently peeled my fingers away.

Catching Lily's deadened stare, Margaret quickly tried to smooth things over. "You two are family now. You need to be good sisters."

Lily looked at her. "Are you Chloe's grandma now too?"

Margaret nodded. "You'll be the little sister, and Chloe will be the big sister. How does that sound?"

Lily was far more mature than any of them realized.

She didn't ask another question. She just took my hand.

"Mom, my birthday is over. Let's go home."

Strike two.

Adrian, you are down to your very last chance.

Chapter 3

I sprinted out of the room.

Chloe was shoving Lily. Instinct took over, and I caught my daughter before she hit the floor.

"Why did you push her?" I demanded.

Chloe rubbed her eyes and instantly burst into theatrical tears, pointing a finger at Lily. "She yelled at me! I barely touched her! Adrian, she yelled at me!"

I stepped forward to bat her pointing finger away.

She cowered against my chest, trembling. I glared at Chloe.

"Put your finger down."

Chloe clearly understood, but she deliberately raised her finger higher.

I took one step forward, but Adrian brushed past me, shielding Chloe with his body.

"Claire, what are you doing?"

Chloe grabbed his shirt, sobbing hysterically. "Adrian, I didn't do anything! She said I'm a stray! She said I don't have a dad!"

Fury flashed in Adrian's eyes. He scooped Chloe up, his voice softer than I had ever heard it.

"You're not a stray. I'm right here."

"Your mom had you all by herself overseas, and I wasn't there. That's on me."

I froze. I only knew Chloe was born while Vanessa was living abroad.

So Adrian is her biological father?

No wonder he doted on her. Vanessa gave him a child. Of course he treated them like royalty.

Lily wriggled out of my arms, her voice shaking.

"Dad? You're my Dad. Please don't be hers. Please?"

Adrian fell silent.

For a second, he looked genuinely affected by Lily's plea. But then Chloe buried her face in his neck, clinging to him for protection.

Adrian's expression hardened again.

"Enough, Lily. Go home."

In that exact moment, I watched the light in my daughter's eyes permanently die.

Margaret walked out of the bathroom. Vanessa was right beside her, their arms linked like family.

Seeing Chloe crying, Vanessa didn't take her from Adrian. She just walked over and cooed at her. Adrian took the birthday hat from Vanessa's hand and gently placed it on Chloe's head.

The three of them stood there. A picture-perfect family.

In six years, Adrian had never celebrated Lily's birthday. He had never put a birthday hat on her head.

I reached out to cover Lily's eyes, but she gently peeled my fingers away.

Catching Lily's deadened stare, Margaret quickly tried to smooth things over. "You two are family now. You need to be good sisters."

Lily looked at her. "Are you Chloe's grandma now too?"

Margaret nodded. "You'll be the little sister, and Chloe will be the big sister. How does that sound?"

Lily was far more mature than any of them realized.

She didn't ask another question. She just took my hand.

"Mom, my birthday is over. Let's go home."

Strike two.

Adrian, you are down to your very last chance.