Chapter 5
The next morning, Clara and I walked into Daniel’s office building together.
My hands were in my pockets, clenched tight.
Clara held the manila folder to her chest, just like she had at the church.
We didn’t have to ask for Daniel’s boss.
Daniel was standing in the lobby, waiting for us.
His face was purple with rage.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he snarled, grabbing Clara’s arm so hard she winced.
“Let go of her,” I said, stepping between them.
He shoved me back so hard I stumbled into a potted plant.
“You two are dead to me,” he said. “I swear to God, if you take one more step toward my boss, I’ll make sure you never see those kids again, Clara. I’ll take them, and I’ll move to Canada, and you’ll rot in a gutter alone—”
“Daniel?”
A quiet voice from behind us made all three of us freeze.
Lily stood in the lobby entrance, holding Milo’s hand.
My mom was behind them, her face tight.
I’d asked her to watch the kids for the morning. She’d followed us here, because she’d known something might go wrong.
Lily’s eyes were huge. She’d heard every word.
“You’re gonna take us away from Mommy?” she asked, her voice trembling.
Daniel’s face went white.
“Lily, baby, no—” he said, letting go of Clara’s arm. “I didn’t mean that. I was just angry—”
“You said you loved us,” she said, tears spilling down her cheeks. “You said we’d be a family. You lied. You lie all the time.”
Milo started crying too, clinging to Lily’s leg.
“I want Mommy,” he sobbed. “I want to go home.”
Clara ran to them, dropping to her knees and wrapping both kids in her arms.
“I’m here, babies,” she said, crying into their hair. “I’m here. No one’s taking you away. I promise.”
I stared at Daniel.
He stood there, his mouth open, no excuses left.
All the people in the lobby were staring. The receptionist had her phone out, recording.
“Look at them,” I said to Daniel, my voice shaking with anger. “They’re your kids. They love you. And all you do is hurt them. You hurt me. You hurt Clara. You don’t know how to love anyone but yourself.”
“I did it for us!” he yelled, desperate now. “I did it so I could have a good life with you, Charlotte! I didn’t want you to leave me—”
“I would have loved them,” I said, quiet. The words surprised even me. “If you’d told me the truth, I would have loved them like my own. We could have been a family. All of us. But you were too much of a coward to tell the truth.”
Daniel stared at me. For a second, I saw real regret in his eyes.
Then it was gone, replaced by that same cold rage.
“You’ll regret this,” he said, low. “All of you.”
He turned and stormed into the elevator.
I looked at my mom. She nodded at me, her eyes proud.
I walked to the reception desk.
“Can you call Mr. Hale, Daniel’s boss?” I said. “We have evidence of embezzlement and fraud we think he needs to see.”
Thirty minutes later, we sat in Mr. Hale’s office, laying out every piece of evidence.
The bank records. The texts. The paternity tests.
Mr. Hale’s face got darker and darker as he read.
When he was done, he looked up at us.
“Thank you for bringing this to me,” he said. “Daniel is fired, effective immediately. We’ll be pressing criminal charges for the embezzled client funds. And we’ll make sure your inheritance is returned to you, Ms. Carter.”
We walked out of the building an hour later.
The sun was bright, warm on my face.
Lily was holding my hand, her small fingers wrapped tight around mine.
Milo was asleep on Clara’s shoulder, his tears dried on his cheeks.
“Can we get ice cream?” Lily asked, looking up at me.
I smiled. It was the first real smile I’d had in days.
“Absolutely,” I said. “All the ice cream you want.”
As we walked to the car, I knew the fight wasn’t over.
Daniel would come for us. I was sure of it.
But for the first time since the wedding, I didn’t feel scared.
I felt strong.
I had Clara. I had the kids. I had my mom.
May you like
We were going to be okay.
No matter what Daniel did next.
