Chapter 1

My husband ran through every cent we had, ignoring every warning I gave him, and the daughter we'd adopted was crying, begging me not to file for divorce.

My parents talked me down. "The child is still little. Stop rattling her with all this divorce talk."

My sister blocked my way. "Cel, if you divorce him, the new home Kay finally has falls apart all over again. It'll break her heart."

My best friend said, "Money can be earned back. But if you actually go through with the divorce, Kay is going to spiral into depression."

My husband, aching for our daughter too, promised me he'd settle down and live right from now on.

But the year our daughter graduated from college, the money we'd rebuilt was gone again, blown by my husband.

I couldn't take it anymore and asked for a divorce. He just told me, "No need. Our marriage certificate is fake."

Our daughter had known all of it for years. My sister leaned into my husband's arms.

"Thank you, Cel, for working yourself to the bone raising the daughter my love and I had together so beautifully!"

My parents laid out the truth. "The thing is, Kay is your and Dustin's child, Laura. We didn't tell you back then because we didn't want to hurt you."

My best friend pleaded with me, all patient reason. "At least you didn't have to give birth to her, and she's called you Mom for over twenty years. It's not like you came out behind."

Only later did I learn my husband never lost a dime. He'd simply transferred everything over to Laura.

All of it. Every person closest to me knew, and every one of them kept the truth from me under the excuse that it was for my own good.

Given the chance to do it again, I threw the paternity test in their faces and tore the ugly masks right off them.

1

"Mom, please, I'm begging you, don't divorce Dad, okay?"

"I finally have a dad and a mom. I don't want you two to split up. I don't want to be a kid with no parents again. Don't send me back to the group home."

Kay Simmons clung to my leg, sobbing like her heart was being ripped out.

She sniffled hard and kept wailing.

"The other kids at the group home bully me. They steal my food, and they lock me in a bathroom stall and throw water on me."

"Mom, I'm really scared. Please, Mom, don't divorce him. Don't throw me away."

"If you and Dad divorce and neither of you can look after me, I'll end up back in that place. I don't want to go back. I want a home of my own."

That pitiful little picture would tug at anyone's heart.

The old me would have ached for her too.

But now, looking at this face that carried a trace of my own sister Laura's, I didn't dare ache for her anymore.

Coldly, I pried Kay off my leg.

"There's no money left. We don't even have a place to live, and we can't afford to keep you. Sending you back is the best thing for you."

"You'll be far better off at the group home than staying with us. If you don't want to go back, you can go with your dad."

Kay dropped down onto the floor and cried louder.

"No, I won't go back, I want to stay with Mom and Dad!"

Dustin Simmons pulled her up, all tenderness.

Then he came over to me, head hanging, and owned up to his mistake.

"Celine Swanson, I really know I was wrong."

"I shouldn't have gone against your warnings and made that investment. I lost everything, even the house."

"For the child's sake, just give me one more chance. I won't ever do it again."

Very convincing acting. Who would ever guess the sincere apology he was handing me was all a performance?

At that exact moment, a rapid knocking sounded at the door.