her hand onto the floor. She looked from David' s smiling face on the TV, to the cr

maginable deceit. The baby who looked just like her son. The sudden "adopti

e. The love she had for her son seemed to evaporate rig

her voice trembling with fury.

p, profound shame. "Chloe, I am so, so sorry

slump. I allowed the tears I' d been holding back to well up in my eyes, n

ting my voice break. "He's gone. All our money is go

th manufactured sobs. It wasn't entirely an act.

son's monstrous behavior was a powerful weapon, and I was

de and putting a comforting arm around me. "You are n

eeks pregnant, which made my distress all the more believable. I told them David had been so excited about the adoption, tha

took charge. She sat me

bank statement across the table to me. She had transferred a substantial s

e. "It's the least I can do. You and my real grandchild will want for noth

gh. It was security. It was a foundation. "Eleanor, I can

family money. And you and that baby," she said,

er conv

upportive grandmother-to-be. And Leo was the silent, watchful reminder of David's betrayal. He was a sweet boy,

portantly, I couldn't bring my own chi

arden, tending to her ro

rted, "we need t

d up, her

so grateful for him, but... raising two children by myself... it's overwhelming. And every time I

in to see. "But Chloe... he's... he's David's

ppeal to bloodlines

acing a hand protectively on my belly, "is right here. This is your real grandchild. Leo deserves a family who will love him for himsel

ting my child, and I was offering Leo a chance at a rea

, snipping a dead rose from its st

deep, heavy sound of

with resignation. "You are absolutely ri

last piece of David's plan