“The night before the accident, she called me. She said she had found something Ethan left behind, something that could explain why he disappeared. She told me that if anything happened to her, I should make sure Lily was safe.””

“And you thought the best way to keep Lily safe was to hurt her five minutes before our wedding?””

“I never meant to hurt her.””

“Then why did you?””

Vanessa looked away.

For the first time, I saw something beneath her fear.

Resentment.

It was small, almost invisible, but it was there.

“Because she found the letter,” Vanessa said.

“What letter?””

“The one Emily left for you.””

I glanced at the envelope on the floor.

“That letter?””

“No. Another one. The letter in the blue bag.””

My stomach tightened.

“What did it say?””

Vanessa stood abruptly.

“I can’t tell you.””

I stepped toward her.

“You’ve spent eighteen months making decisions about my family without asking me. You don’t get to decide what I can handle anymore.””

She backed into the dressing table.

“I didn’t have a choice.””

“Everyone has a choice.””

“Not when someone threatens the only child you love!””

The words rang through the room.

I froze.

Vanessa seemed to realize what she had said.

She pressed a hand over her mouth.

“Whose child?”” I asked.

She shook her head.

“Vanessa.””

“Please.””

“Whose child?””

She looked at me through tear-filled eyes.

Then she whispered, “Mine.””

I stared at her.

“You have a child?””

Vanessa nodded slowly.

“A daughter. Her name is Sophie.””

I had never heard the name before.

Not once.

We had dated for nearly a year. We had spent holidays together. I had met her parents, her cousins, her college friends, and the woman who had been her roommate for three years.

She had never mentioned a daughter.

“How old is she?””

“Seven.””

Seven.

One year older than Lily.

“Where is she?””

“Living with my mother.””

“Why didn’t you tell me?””

“Because I was afraid you wouldn’t marry me.””

I laughed, but there was no humor in it.

“You thought hiding an entire child was the way to make me trust you?””

“She isn’t my biological daughter.””

I stared at her.

“What?””

“Sophie is Emily’s daughter.””

The room went silent.

Vanessa reached for the back of the chair to steady herself.

“Emily gave birth to Sophie before she married you. She was only nineteen. Her parents wanted her to give the baby up, but she refused.

She arranged for my mother to raise her while she finished school. Everyone thought Sophie was my mother’s child.””

I couldn’t make the pieces fit.

Emily had never told me she had another child.

She had never mentioned a daughter named Sophie.

But Vanessa was standing in front of me, claiming that the woman I had loved for ten years had hidden two children and a relationship with my missing brother.

“How do you know Sophie is Emily’s daughter?””

“Because I have the adoption papers.””

“And the birth certificate?””

“Yes.””

“Where are they?””

“In the blue bag.””

I looked at the brass key in my palm.

“What did the letter say?””

Vanessa closed her eyes.

“Emily wrote that she wanted to tell you everything after Lily’s seventh birthday. She said she was tired of living with the secret. She wanted to find Ethan, bring Sophie home, and explain why she had made the choices she made.””

“When is Lily’s birthday?””

“Next month.””

I felt as if the floor had dropped away beneath me.

Emily had planned to tell me.

She had planned to give me the truth.

Then she died.

And Vanessa had kept the secret buried while standing beside me at the funeral, holding my hand, telling me that life was too short to waste another day.

I wanted to scream.

Instead, I looked at the clock.

The wedding was now nearly fifteen minutes late.

Somewhere beyond the door, guests were whispering.

“Where is the blue bag?”” I asked again.

“In my car.””

“Give me the keys.””

She held them out.

I took them and walked toward the door.

Vanessa grabbed my sleeve.

“Daniel, wait.””

I turned.

She looked smaller somehow, her wedding dress hanging around her like a costume.

“There is one more thing,” she whispered.

I stared at her.

“What now?””

“Emily didn’t die because she lost control of the car.””

My blood ran cold.

“You said the accident was caused by the rain.””

“It was what the police believed.””

“Then what happened?””

Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears.

“Someone called Emily that night. She drove to meet them. She said she needed to get something back before it was too late.””

“Who called her?””

Vanessa shook her head.

“I don’t know.””

I took a step toward her.

“Who called my wife?””

She swallowed hard.

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