Chapter 4
I opened the attachment.
Claire’s move-in date was at the top.
Next Monday.
“She’s moving in, too?” Julia leaned over my phone, her water glass halfway to her mouth.
I didn’t answer. I kept scrolling.
The guest room would become Claire’s bedroom, with blackout curtains and an additional wardrobe. The nursery door would get quiet hinges to minimize disturbances while she rested.
Next came notes from a meeting with a newborn care consultant, included to help the contractor plan the layout.
“Mother: Claire Moore.”
“Father: Daniel Reed.”
My name was in the next section.
“Primary family support: Emma Reed. Responsible for most overnight infant care.”
I zoomed in and read that line twice.
Daniel had asked if I’d always wanted to be a mom.
But according to this plan, the baby already had a mother.
And a father.
I was the one who got up in the middle of the night.
Julia set her glass down hard enough to spill some water.
“That’s enough.” She put a hand on my shoulder, her voice tight. “Get some sleep. We’ll deal with this tomorrow.”
“I want to finish reading.” I gripped the edges of my phone. “I want to know what else they’ve volunteered me for.”
The next page said:
“Mother and infant to remain in the home after delivery. Move-out date to be determined.”
This wasn’t temporary help.
They planned to raise their child together.
In my home.
I kept scrolling past the deposit Daniel had already paid for the remodel, then stopped at the original nursery sketch.
Beneath the little star was a faint line of handwriting.
“Sweet dreams, every night.”
My handwriting.
Two years ago, when I’d finished that drawing, Daniel had wrapped his arms around me from behind and said our baby would love it.
The original date was still there.
But now someone else was the baby’s mother.
He hadn’t even thought it was worth drawing up a new plan.
My phone buzzed.
A text from Daniel.
“I put your ring somewhere safe. You’re upset tonight. I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”
I didn’t answer. I took screenshots of his message and the page assigning me the overnight care.
A moment later, he called.
I declined it.
The typing indicator appeared, then disappeared.
Finally, a message came through.
“It’s just a preliminary plan. If you don’t like it, we can make changes.”
I closed the conversation without replying.
Julia sat beside me and took my cold hand.
“You don’t have to prove to him how much this hurts.” Her eyes shone with tears. “He knows.”
I nodded and saved the entire email chain and every attachment.
Daniel kept calling that night.
I didn’t answer.
In the morning, I emailed the contractor.
I explained that I had created the original nursery design and had not authorized its use for this remodel. I had not agreed to Claire moving in or to providing childcare. I asked them to put anything requiring my approval on hold.
My hands were steady when I hit Send.
Julia set breakfast in front of me and gently touched my shoulder.
“Try to eat something.”
I picked up my spoon just as a new email arrived.
The contractor had replied.
“Mrs. Reed, I’m sorry. This differs from the information we were given.”
Below it, he had included Daniel’s exact words from three weeks earlier.
“This whole thing was my wife’s idea.”
“Please don’t contact her about it yet. She wants it to be a surprise for Claire.”