as a bright, intrusive yellow, the kind that meant I' d overslept. I groaned, rolling over. My head felt thick, my body he

I saw

lue and red building blocks. He couldn' t have been more than four years old. He had

fr

ho was this child? How did he get into my apa

upright. "W

e out as a h

eyes wide and innocent. A small,

you're

nk. I am not a mother. Mark and I were clear on this, a decision we made together ye

said, my voice shaking.

lower lip began to tremble. "Yo

lked in carrying a tray with coffee and toast. He was al

smile. "Good morning, sleepyhead.

stured toward the child. "Look, Leo, Mommy'

ught in my throat. "Mark, who

He touched my forehead. "Chloe, what are you talki

The words made no sense. T

my voice rising with panic. "Ma

living room. They heard my raised voice and appea

y mother asked, rushing to my s

pleaded, grabbing her arm. "Tell him

red pain and exhaustion. "Oh, Chloe," she sighed, her voice sof

him, Chloe. You know you do. You're

mare. My family, the people I trusted most, were all

ce flat and cold. "I have no memory of bei

it on the bed. "Chloe, we've been over this. We knew this mi

Leo Miller-Johnson. Date of birth: four years ago. Mother: Ch

I whispered, p

ed out another paper. A DNA test result. It stated, with 99.9%

amily' s unified story-it was an entire reality constructed to oppose m

he projects I designed, the awards I won, the trips Mar

He looked up at me with hopeful eyes. I felt nothing. No connection

rse and keys. "

," Mark call

w blocks, my mind racing. I needed to prove them wrong. I n

. It was a terribl

ted in the lobby. A few minutes later, Mark cam

"Mark, I need to take him fo

the doorway. He probably thought it was a good sign th

ut don't

him to the park a few blocks away. It was busy with parents

voice devoid of emotion. "

I kept walking. I crossed the street and hid behind a large tree, watching. My heart was pounding.

on, a small crowd gathered. Someone called the police.

ll finger directly at

eyes met. His face hardened. He and

I turned to run,

ht there," one o

you the mother of that child?" t

ing my head. "I do

sgust. "She matches the description. The husband reported she wa

this. He had already painted me as unsta

their eyes full of judgment and contempt. They whispered things. "How

of distress and relief. He ran to Leo

ked at me, his eyes full of disappointment. "Chloe, how coul

m, his tone practiced and condescending. He had d

him. They gave me a warning, suggestin

arm. Leo was crying in his other arm, hi

Mark was silent

e," he finally said, his voice lo

Mark," I said, star

gnoring me completely. "We'll get thr

ad loved for ten years. The man I had built a li

aken. He was lying. They were all ly

ked face full of confusion. He wasn't part of the lie, he was a victim in it, just like m

had cheated on me. This boy was the result. But that didn't explain my parents.

o do it while pretending to be the broken