Chapter 3

My eyes drifted from the gold bracelet to the watch on the woman's wrist.

A platinum Patek Philippe starry-night. Over seven million.

"Baby, look at whatever you want, pick the one you love. Once we have money I'll get you every last thing. For your birthday this year, just choose the watch that'll one day sit on your wrist."

So I knew that watch.

I'd only played along with the choice, the same as with the Bentley, because I didn't want to spoil the mood.

This woman was driving the car I liked, wearing the watch I liked, and on her wrist was the gold bracelet my mother left me.

The Chanel clover necklace at her throat, I knew that too.

That was the wish I'd made on another birthday.

A car could be coincidence. A gold bracelet alone could be coincidence.

But all of it stacked together, that was no coincidence.

He had already built a home in this city.

The world was so big that he'd made his name and I never knew.

The world was so small that the moment I learned he'd made his name, I ran straight into the wife he had now.

"What are you staring at, you hick? You wrecked our car. Pay up."

A little girl climbed out and stood beside the woman, glaring at me.

What the girl was wearing stabbed at my eyes all over again.

Every birthday, Timothy had my daughter make a wish too. Her wishes had come true on some other little girl.

I didn't argue with them. Without thinking, I called Timothy.

Bitterness. Fury.

I needed an explanation now. I needed an answer.

I needed him standing in front of me.

"Baby, what's got you calling me now?"

"The package you sent came. I haven't opened it yet, I'll send you a video when I do."

He was still performing. The tears spilled before I could stop them. "I was in a car accident."

"Is it bad?"

"It's bad. I'm so scared. I'm scared I'll never see you again."

"Baby, don't scare me. I'm buying a ticket back right now." His voice was full of concern.

"Don't buy a ticket. I came to your city. I wanted to surprise you, and I got hit by a car. Come here, quick."

I looked at the buildings nearby and gave him the exact address.

"Wait for me. I'm coming right now."

The second I hung up, the woman took out her phone.

"Honey, I just twisted my ankle at yoga. It hurts so much."

She said only that one line, then hung up.

She looked at me with a high, cold contempt. "I know who you are. So tell me, is he coming here to see you, or coming to the yoga studio to get me?"