Chapter 5 - Daniel’s Last Weapon
Daniel folded his arms.
“You’re making accusations about Noah.”
I stared at him.
“So?”
“Maybe we should be equally honest about Lily.”
Chloe whispered, “Daniel.”
He ignored her.
My father stepped forward.
“Choose your next words very carefully.”
Daniel looked almost pleased with himself now.
He had found a weapon.
Or believed he had.
“Jennifer and I were having problems long before Chloe.”
“That is a lie.”
“She traveled constantly.”
“For work.”
“She was close to one of her directors.”
I understood immediately.
Michael Grant.
My regional director.
Sixty-one years old.
Married for thirty-four years.
A man who had attended my baby shower with his wife and three grandchildren.
Daniel knew exactly how ridiculous the implication was.
But facts did not matter to him.
Doubt did.
He wanted enough doubt to frighten me.
“To be safe,” Daniel said, “I think we should test Lily.”
Patricia looked horrified.
“That is your daughter.”
“If Jennifer wants DNA involved, then everything should be verified.”
I almost asked what DNA he thought I had brought up.
Then I understood.
He assumed I had a paternity report on Noah.
I didn’t.
The folder contained only his messages calling Noah his son.
Daniel had exposed his own fear.
I looked at Chloe.
Her face had gone white.
“Daniel,” she whispered.
He turned.
“What?”
“You said the prenatal test was private.”
Silence.
Daniel blinked.
I felt something click into place.
“What prenatal test?”
Chloe covered her mouth.
Daniel rushed toward her.
“Stop.”
She backed away.
“No.”
“Chloe.”
“You told me Jennifer already knew.”
I took one step closer.
“What test?”
Chloe’s eyes filled with tears.
“At eleven weeks, we did a noninvasive paternity test.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“And?”
She looked at him.
Then at me.
“Daniel is Noah’s father.”
Patricia sat down on the nearest lobby chair.
His father cursed under his breath.
I expected pain.
Instead, I felt relief.
The uncertainty was gone.
Daniel had not merely supported an ex-girlfriend.
He had fathered a child with her while I was pregnant with his daughter.
And he had known.
For months.
I took out my phone.
“Do you have the result?”
Chloe nodded slowly.
“Would you send it to me?”
Daniel exploded.
“No.”
Everybody looked at him.
He lowered his voice, but the damage was done.
Chloe stared at him differently now.
“You told me this was about protecting Noah.”
“It is.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“This is about protecting you.”
She unlocked her phone.
Daniel stepped toward her again.
My father blocked him.
Chloe found the file.
Her thumb hovered over the screen.
Then she looked at me.
“I didn’t know he was still living with you as your husband.”
I believed she had known some things.
Maybe more than she wanted to admit.
But I also believed Daniel had lied to both of us in different ways.
“I’ll deal with that later,” I said.
“Right now, send the report.”
She did.
My phone chimed.
Daniel looked at the floor.
And before anyone could speak again, another man entered the hotel lobby.
He wore a dark suit.
He looked directly at Daniel.
Then he walked toward us and held out an envelope.
“Daniel Carter?”
Daniel frowned.
“Yes?”
“You’ve been served.”
I did not recognize the man.
May you like
Neither did Daniel.
But when he tore open the envelope and read the first page, his face turned even paler than it had when I opened the folder.
