CHAPTER 3 — THE SECRET THAT VANESSA COULDN'T HIDE
Vanessa grabbed Daniel's arm.
"Let's leave."
He didn't move.
Dr. Anderson quietly handed Daniel a printed instruction sheet.
"The same one every patient receives."
Across the top, bold letters read:
Continue alternative contraception until cleared by laboratory testing.
Daniel stared at it.
Lauren recognized it immediately.
She had seen that paper once before.
The night he came home after surgery.
He had stuffed it into a kitchen drawer without reading it.
"You said the procedure worked immediately," Lauren whispered.
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"I... assumed it did."
"You assumed?"
His breathing became uneven.
Then Vanessa suddenly spoke.
"Even if that's true..."
She forced a smile.
"...she could still have cheated."
Lauren slowly looked at her.
"So that's what you're hoping."
Vanessa's face tightened.
Daniel didn't even notice.
His mind was racing somewhere else.
Then Lauren remembered something.
Three weeks earlier.
Daniel had refused to sleep beside her.
Claiming he was "recovering."
Yet...
He'd come home drunk one Friday night.
Apologized.
Held her.
Cried.
Said he didn't want to lose her.
That had been exactly...
Nine weeks ago.
Daniel remembered it too.
His shoulders sagged.
His eyes closed.
"Oh God..."
Vanessa immediately interrupted.
"Daniel."
No response.
She squeezed his hand.
"Daniel."
He slowly pulled his arm away.
May you like
For the first time...
He looked at Vanessa as though she were a complete stranger.
