Chapter 13: The Father She Never Knew
I read the letter three times.
Not because I didn’t understand the words.
Because I couldn’t accept them.
*When Emily gives birth, we need to make sure she never knows the baby isn’t biologically yours.*
Every word felt like a crack spreading through glass.
My daughter.
My baby.
The little person who had been growing inside me for months.
And now there was another secret surrounding her.
I looked at my mother.
“What is this?””
Darla looked away.
“I found it in his office.””
“You found a letter where my husband admitted something about my baby…”
My voice shook.
“And you kept it?””
Tears filled her eyes.
“I was scared.””
I laughed quietly.
Of course.
Everyone was scared.
Everyone except me, apparently.
“You were scared, so you let me continue living a lie?””
“No.””
“Then why?””
She covered her face.
“Because I didn’t know what to do.””
I stared at the woman who raised me.
The woman who once held my hand through every nightmare.
Now she was standing in front of me as another person who had watched my life fall apart and stayed silent.
“When did you find this?””
She hesitated.
“Two months ago.””
My chest tightened.
Two months.
She had known for two months.
While I decorated the nursery.
While I bought tiny clothes.
While I talked about our daughter’s future.
“You knew.””
“I wanted to tell you.””
“But you didn’t.””
“I was afraid you would hate me.””
I looked at her.
“Do you understand that I hate the fact that I still love you?””
Her face collapsed.
I took the letter and walked out.
I didn’t say goodbye.
I couldn’t.
My mind was too full.
Too many questions.
Who was my daughter’s father?
Why would Cole hide it?
What had happened before I ever knew?
When I got home, Claire was waiting.
One look at my face told her something had changed.
“What happened?””
I handed her the letter.
She read it.
Then sat down.
“No.””
“That’s what I said.””
“Emily…”
“I need to know.””
Claire looked at me.
“Are you sure?””
“No.””
I swallowed.
“But I need the truth.””
We started searching.
Not online.
Not publicly.
Quietly.
Carefully.
Because if Cole had hidden this, he would do anything to protect the secret.
Then I remembered something.
A conversation from months earlier.
A fight.
The only time Cole had ever looked afraid when I mentioned the baby.
I had asked him why he seemed distant after we got the paternity test paperwork from the hospital.
He had smiled.
He had kissed my forehead.
He had said:
“Because I’m scared of becoming a father.””
I believed him.
Now I wondered if he was scared of something else.
My phone rang.
Rachel.
I answered.
“Emily?””
“What do you know?””
Silence.
Then:
“You found out.””
My heart sank.
“You knew too?””
“No.””
“Rachel.””
“I suspected.””
I closed my eyes.
“Tell me.””
She sighed.
“Before Cole and I ended things, he received a message.””
“From who?””
“I don’t know.””
“What did it say?””
Another pause.
Then she said:
“It said, ‘She can never know the truth about the baby.’”
My stomach twisted.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I thought it was about custody.””
I looked at Claire.
It wasn’t.
Not anymore.
“Rachel, I need you to help me.””
“I will.””
“Why?””
Her answer came softly.
“Because I helped him lie once. I won’t help him destroy you again.””
After we hung up, Claire found something.
An old email.
From Cole.
To himself.
The subject line was simple.
*The truth about the baby.*
My hands shook as I opened it.
There was only one paragraph.
*If everything goes wrong, the only person who can expose me is Marcus. Keep him away from Emily.*
I looked at Claire.
“Who is Marcus?””
She shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From an unknown number.
One sentence.
*You’re finally asking the right questions.*
May you like
Then another message appeared.
*Meet me tomorrow if you want to know who your daughter’s real father is.*
