Chapter 3

Ryan's company family luncheon was held in the garden behind headquarters.

He was the CEO of Hale Group. Employees had brought their spouses and children.

Before we got out of the car, Emma held tightly to my hand.

"Mom, can we go home after lunch?"

"If you don't feel good, we'll leave right away."

Ryan was waiting near the entrance. When he saw Emma, he lowered his voice.

"Don't make a scene today. Everyone's watching."

Emma lowered her head.

I looked at him.

"She's your daughter, not one of your employees."

Ryan's face tightened. Before he could speak, Mara's voice came from behind us.

"Ryan, we're here."

She walked over holding Lily's hand.

Lily was wearing the storm blanket around her shoulders.

Emma stared at it, her fingers slowly tightening around the fabric of my dress.

A few employees came over, smiling as they complimented Ryan.

"Mr. Hale, you're so good with kids."

"Lily looks so attached to you."

Ryan smiled and didn't explain.

Mara stood at his side.

Emma looked up at me, her eyes bright with tears.

"Mom, did Dad make me brave so I wouldn't ask him for things?"

I crouched in front of her and held her shoulders.

"No, sweetheart. You're allowed to ask for what belongs to you."

Near the end of lunch, the children ran over to play by the fountain.

Emma didn't go. She stayed beside me.

Lily was the one who came over, dragging the storm blanket along the grass as she circled Emma once.

"Ryan said I can keep it for the picnic," Lily said. "He said you have lots of other things."

Emma watched the blanket fall onto the wet grass and stood up.

"Don't put it on the ground. Dad made it."

Lily hugged the blanket and backed away.

"Then ask him to make you another one."

Emma bent down, trying to pick up the corner trailing near the water.

Lily suddenly screamed.

"Mom! She's taking it!"

The next second, Lily yanked it back hard.

Emma's foot slipped, and she fell straight into the fountain.

Water splashed up as I ran toward her.

"Emma!"

She was sitting in the water, her dress soaked through, one knee banged against the stone edge. Her face had gone white from the pain. I braced my hand against the side of the fountain, and the rough stone scraped my palm raw.

Mara screamed too.

"Ryan! Lily's scared!"

Lily stood to the side crying loudly, still clutching the blanket with both hands.

Ryan almost ran to her.

He picked Lily up.

"It's okay. It's okay."

I held Emma, soaked and shaking, and looked up at him.

Ryan glanced at us, and the first thing on his face was blame.

"Emma, didn't I tell you not to scare Lily?"

Emma froze.

Her lips were turning purple. Water dripped from her hair as she stared at her father, her voice so small I almost couldn't hear it.

"Mommy, I didn't even touch her."

The last thing inside me broke.

I looked up at the security camera above us.

Then I stood with Emma in my arms.

Everyone around us went quiet.

Ryan realized the scene was slipping out of his control. He lowered his voice.

"Danielle, don't do this here."

I looked at him and said each word clearly.

"Ryan Hale, I want a divorce."