CHAPTER 2 – The Child Who Was Never Supposed to Exist
Emily stepped backward, clutching the cracked frame against her chest.
"No."
"You've lied enough."
Jason reached toward her.
"Emily... you don't understand."
"I understand perfectly."
"You told me I was your first real family."
"You swore you'd never had children."
"So who is this?"
Vanessa looked from Jason to the photograph.
Then back again.
"You have a son?"
Jason rubbed his forehead.
"It's not that simple."
Emily flipped the photo over.
There was handwriting.
"If anything happens to me... promise you'll tell him the truth."
No signature.
Only one date.
Three days later...
The woman in the picture had officially died in a mysterious highway accident.
Jason collapsed into the nearest chair.
His voice barely escaped.
"Her name was Sophia."
"We were engaged."
Emily felt the room spin.
Vanessa's face turned pale.
"You told me Emily was the only woman you ever wanted."
Jason closed his eyes.
"Sophia disappeared before our son turned one."
"I was told they both died."
"But someone lied."
Emily stared at the baby again.
The little boy had Jason's eyes.
The same smile.
The same tiny dimple.
Everything Jason had denied for years...
was staring back at them from a cracked photograph.
Just then...
Someone knocked on the penthouse door.
Three slow knocks.
Nobody moved.
The knocking came again.
Jason opened the door.
Standing outside was an elderly man wearing a dark overcoat.
Without saying hello...
He handed Jason a sealed envelope.
"I've been looking for you for six years."
Jason frowned.
"Who are you?"
The old man answered quietly.
"I'm the lawyer who raised your son."
The apartment fell into absolute silence.
Vanessa slowly removed her engagement ring.
Emily could barely breathe.
The lawyer looked directly at Jason.
"He's alive."
"But after what he learned about you yesterday..."
"He refuses to call you Dad."
And before Jason could ask another question...
The lawyer delivered one final sentence that shattered every life in the room.
"He wants to meet your wife."
Then he looked straight at Emily.
May you like
"Not the woman standing beside you."
"You."
