Chapter 3

Perhaps because I rarely called him by his full name, he froze.

For a second, I thought he might finally come to his senses.

Then, my phone buzzed with a Snapchat notification.

*Chloe, have you lost your mind? I told you not to blow my cover today!*

*Go tell everyone it was all a misunderstanding! Tell them our daughter has nothing to do with me! Are you really going to ruin Leo's day and embarrass everyone just to feel good about yourself?*

I didn't care about Leo's feelings. All I knew was that my daughter's heart was breaking.

Why did my baby have to be called a liar?

Why couldn't my daughter even acknowledge her own father?

"Ma'am, what nonsense are you talking about?" Julian said loudly, his voice filled with icy disdain. "Who your child's father is has nothing to do with me."

He still refused to admit it.

"Is that so?" I sneered. "So the man who's been sleeping in my bed every night for years was a ghost? Or did my daughter miraculously conceive herself without a father?"

"You're truly unbelievable, Julian. Disowning your own flesh and blood just to play daddy to someone else's kid."

I turned to my daughter, my voice gentle but resolute.

"Mia, baby, listen to Mommy. You are not a liar. The real liar is the coward who doesn't even have the spine to admit he's your father."

Mia nodded, tears still streaming down her cheeks.