Chapter 4

That night, David and I got back to our place.

Lucas was so tired from playing that he fell asleep in the car. David carried him to his room and tucked him in.

I stood by the window in the master bedroom, staring out at the city lights, not moving at all.

David came up behind me and hugged me, his chin resting on my shoulder.

"Honey, what's wrong?" David's voice was tired, almost cautious. "You've been acting strange since this afternoon. Did I do something wrong?"

His arms were warm, his scent so familiar.

Once, this was my haven.

Now, I just felt tense, like every muscle was locked up.

"No," I said, my voice flat.

"Emily," he said, turning me to face him, cupping my cheeks in his hands, forcing me to meet his eyes. "Look at me. We're husband and wife. What could be so bad that you can't tell me?"

His eyes were dark and bright, my reflection clear in them, brimming with worry.

That look was so real.

If this was an act, he was a damn good actor.

I heard myself say, my voice eerily calm. "David, do you remember the day I gave birth to Lucas?"

He froze for a moment, clearly didn't see that coming.

"Why are you bringing this up now?" His eyes shifted, just for a second, but I caught it.

"It just came to mind," I said, staring at him. "Where were you that day?"

"I was right outside the delivery room," David replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You were in labor for over ten hours, and I was pacing like a madman. My parents were there too.

"Then you started bleeding, and the doctor told me that you were in critical condition. My hands were shaking so badly. Did you really forget all that?"

I hadn't forgotten.

I remembered David's eyes, bloodshot and full of tears, and how he crouched down in the corner, clutching his head, completely falling apart after hearing my condition.

Back then, those scenes were all the proof I needed that he loved me.

"And after that?" I pressed. "What happened after I passed out?"

"You were moved to the ICU for observation, and Lucas was put in an incubator because he was premature," David said, his brow furrowing as he recalled. "My parents and I took turns watching over you.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick? Should we go to the hospital for a check-up?"

He reached out to feel my forehead.

I turned my head aside, dodging his hand.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"About a day and a night," he replied, withdrawing his hand, his expression uneasy. "Emily, what's going on with you? Did someone tell you something?"

"No," I said, lowering my eyes. "I've been having dreams about that day lately. Everything's all jumbled up in my head."

David let out a sigh of relief and pulled me back into his arms, gently patting my back. "It's all in the past, honey. You and Lucas are safe and sound. That's all that matters. Don't let your mind run wild."

His heartbeat was steady and strong.

My face rested against his chest, but there was no warmth left for me.

He was lying. Or at least he was hiding something.

Something must have happened during those twenty-four hours while I was unconscious.

Whatever it was, that was why things turned out like this.

"David," I murmured, my voice soft and dreamlike as I leaned into his arms, "do you love me?"

"Of course I do," he replied without hesitation, pulling me closer. "You're the only one I'll ever love."

"And what about Lucas?"

"Lucas is our baby. He's everything to us," he said, his voice gentle and steady.

Our baby. Everything to us.

But what if Lucas was really David's brother?

Then what was the point of all this love, all this devotion?

One huge, filthy secret had turned us all into a joke.

"Go to sleep," I said, pushing David aside and heading for the bathroom. "I'm tired."

"Emily," David called after me.

"I'm really tired."

After closing the bathroom door, I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on my face, barely keeping the nausea and dizziness at bay.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My face was ghostly pale.

My eyes looked hollow, like a soulless doll.

I couldn't keep living like this.

I needed to find some evidence.

Only the paternity test report was not enough.

I needed to know what really happened at the hospital that day.

I needed to figure out how Richard pulled it off.

And I needed to find out what David and Helen's roles were in all this.

A plan was slowly taking shape in my mind.

I decided to use a business trip as my cover.

I needed to get away for a few days and dig into the truth. And I had to do it without anyone noticing.

*****

A few days later, I told the family I had to go on a three-day business trip to the next city over because of an urgent project.

David offered to drive me, but I turned him down, saying the company had already arranged a car for me.

Helen reminded me to stay safe and not skip any meals.

Richard just nodded and said, "Come back soon."

I left home with a small suitcase rolling behind me.

Once the car left the neighborhood and hit the main road, I made a U-turn and headed in the opposite direction.

I wasn't headed for the train station or the airport.

Instead, I drove straight to the County Clerk's Office, then to the Oasis Hospital.