Chapter 3: The Man Outside the Window
"You finally met your daughter. Now bring her outside. Alone."
My hands went cold.
I read the message twice.
Then a third time.
Across the street, the man in the black coat kept smiling.
Sarah looked as though she had seen a ghost.
"He's here..." she whispered. "I knew this day would come."
Lily tugged on her sleeve.
"Mommy, who's that man?"
Sarah pulled her daughter against her chest.
"No one, sweetheart."
But her voice trembled.
I stood up.
"No one doesn't send messages to my phone."
Sarah grabbed my arm.
"Ethan, don't go outside."
"Then tell me what's happening."
Her eyes filled with panic.
"We need to leave. Right now."
At that exact moment, the restaurant door opened.
The man from the SUV walked in.
Every conversation in the room seemed to stop.
He was tall, gray-haired, and wore an expensive black suit despite the rain.
He looked directly at us.
At Lily.
Not at Sarah.
Not at me.
At Lily.
The little girl hid her face against her mother's shoulder.
The man's expression softened for a fraction of a second.
Then it became cold again.
"Sarah."
She didn't answer.
He took another step.
"I've been looking for you."
"I don't want to talk to you."
"You don't have a choice."
I moved in front of them.
"I think she does."
His eyes shifted to me.
For several seconds, he studied my face.
Then he sighed.
"So you're Ethan."
The fact that he knew my name made my stomach turn.
"And you are?"
He extended his hand.
"Richard Bennett."
I didn't shake it.
His hand slowly lowered.
"I understand why you're upset."
"You understand nothing."
He ignored me.
"Sarah, take Lily outside. We need to discuss this privately."
"No."
The answer came instantly.
"No?" he repeated.
She stood up.
"You don't get to order me anymore."
For the first time, anger flashed across his face.
People at nearby tables were openly staring.
The waiter looked nervous.
Then Richard said something unexpected.
"I didn't come to fight."
Nobody spoke.
"I came because Lily is in danger."
Sarah froze.
I frowned.
"What?"
He looked directly at me.
"There are things you don't know."
"Then start talking."
He glanced at Lily.
"Not in front of her."
But the little girl suddenly looked up.
"I know what danger is."
Everyone turned to her.
She lowered her voice.
"Bad people chase you."
The room became silent.
Sarah's face turned pale.
I slowly looked at her.
"Why would she say that?"
Sarah didn't answer.
"Sarah."
Still nothing.
Richard closed his eyes.
"You haven't told him."
"Told me what?"
A tear rolled down Sarah's cheek.
"Please... not here."
My heart started pounding.
"Tell me."
She looked at Lily.
Then back at me.
Finally, she whispered:
"We've been running."
I stared at her.
"Running from who?"
Richard answered before she could.
"From Lily's biological father."
Everything stopped.
I blinked.
"What?"
Sarah's face turned white.
"Don't."
But Richard continued.
"The man who fathered Lily wants her back."
I felt the floor disappear beneath me.
I looked at Sarah.
Then at Lily.
Then back at Richard.
"You said... biological father."
His expression hardened.
"Yes."
I couldn't breathe.
"But Sarah told me..."
She broke down.
"I never wanted you to find out this way."
I stepped backward.
The room suddenly felt too small.
Lily looked between us, confused.
"Mister Ethan?"
I couldn't answer.
Sarah reached for my hand.
"Ethan, please let me explain."
I pulled away.
"You said she was my daughter."
"I know."
"No. You didn't say maybe. You didn't say you weren't sure."
Tears streamed down her face.
"I thought she was."
Silence.
Richard spoke quietly.
"She isn't."
I looked at the little girl.
The little girl who had my eyes.
My smile.
My dimple.
How was that possible?
Then Sarah whispered the words that shattered everything.
"The man I was dating before I met you... he came back."
I couldn't speak.
"We had already broken up. I thought it was over."
She closed her eyes.
"A few weeks after I met you, I found out I was pregnant."
I stared at her.
"You weren't sure who the father was."
She nodded slowly.
"I prayed it was you."
The room spun.
"I wanted it to be you."
I sat down because my legs suddenly couldn't hold me anymore.
For seven years she believed I was Lily's father.
And now...
Now everything was a lie.
Lily looked at me with wide eyes.
"Are you leaving?"
I looked at her.
She seemed frightened.
"Everyone leaves."
The words pierced my heart.
I swallowed hard.
"No... I'm not leaving."
She looked relieved.
Then Richard took a deep breath.
"There's something else you need to know."
I looked up.
"What now?"
He reached into his coat and pulled out a folded document.
Then he placed it on the table.
I opened it.
At the top were three words.
DNA TEST RESULTS
My hands trembled.
I looked at the name.
Lily Bennett.
Then at the second name.
Ethan Walker.
I frowned.
Slowly, I read the result.
And my heart stopped.
Probability of paternity: 99.98%.
I looked up in disbelief.
Sarah gasped.
Richard's face turned white.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then Richard whispered:
"That's impossible."
I stared at the paper.
Then at Lily.
Then back at him.
The little girl looked up at me and smiled.
And suddenly I realized something terrifying.
Someone...
May you like
Had been lying.
To Be Continued…
