ck coffee, the bitter taste grounding me in the terrifying present. My phone sat face down on the table. Every

ld break of a student

eve Jane would come through. I ha

ything. He said it was faster, less red tape. I was so desperate for a child, so grateful, I

aby shower. She was the first person to hold Leo after me. She' d alw

ed. It was a

are at the lab. They've put a

breath. Sevent

k was a financial analyst, competent but not brilliant. His lifestyle was funded by my success. If I were instituti

e child. It wasn't just about controlling Leo. It wa

t day of school. Us at the beach, building a sandcastle that looked more like one of my architect

er. I almost ignored it, but a

ah?" a man's

Who is

or. Jane hired me on your behalf. The background

red against my

s, and then dissolved. The only transaction it ever handled was your son's adoption. The lawyer, Mr.

rse than

to trace its origin. The account belongs to Mark Patterson and Chloe Vance. They've been movi

hadn' t just been lovers. They had bee

nd everything you hav

me. They didn't just want my money. They wanted to erase me,

text from Jane. It was

RESUL

ent, my finger hovering over

s, but two lines stood out i

lins and Leo Collins. Pro

e and Leo Collins. Probabi

ears of my life had been a lie. A carefully constructed

were pointing, shouting. I looked up, my eyes

ark. I let it go to voicemail. The

ssessed. I walked out of the café and into the growing ch

ut to begin. But this t