Chapter 5 - THE WOMAN BESIDE HIM
Chloe was the first one to speak after Carter did the math.
“No.”
Not loud.
Almost breathless.
Carter did not look at her.
His eyes remained on Lucy.
“Valerie, is she mine?”
People moved around us.
A suitcase bumped someone’s shoe.
An announcement called passengers to Miami.
The world kept functioning while mine tried to split open.
“This is not the place.”
“Is she?”
Lucy looked between us.
“Mommy?”
I kissed her hair.
“It’s okay.”
Chloe stepped forward.
“You told me she was an ex from years ago.”
Carter finally turned toward her.
“She was.”
“Then why is there a child?”
His face tightened.
“I don’t know.”
That answer hurt more than it should have.
Because I knew.
I had told him.
Or tried to.
Carter looked back at me.
“You said two years and seven months.”
“Yes.”
His voice dropped.
“I need to know.”
“You needed to know three years ago.”
“I didn’t.”
I laughed once.
“You had lawyers tell me where to send my ‘claim.’”
His expression changed.
“What?”
“Your family office.”
“When?”
“During my pregnancy.”
“I never authorized that.”
Chloe looked at him.
“Carter.”
He ignored her again.
His phone began ringing.
He silenced it.
“Show me.”
“Show you what?”
“The email.”
I stared at him.
“I’m carrying a toddler through an airport. I’m not opening a three-year-old trauma archive for you beside Gate 12.”
His jaw tightened.
Then Lucy extended Cloud toward him again.
“Do you want to hold her?”
All three of us froze.
Toddlers have no respect for emotional catastrophe.
Carter looked at the rabbit.
Then at Lucy.
“Maybe later,” he said softly.
Her face fell slightly.
Something broke across his expression.
Chloe saw it.
I saw her see it.
The resemblance had already unsettled her.
But Carter’s reaction frightened her more.
The boarding announcement sounded again.
Final call for their flight.
Chloe grabbed his arm.
“We are supposed to be leaving for our honeymoon.”
Honeymoon.
The word hit me strangely.
So they had finally married.
That morning perhaps.
Yesterday.
Recently enough that she still said we’re married now like she was convincing both of them.
Carter looked toward the gate.
Then toward Lucy.
Then at me.
He picked up his fallen boarding pass.
For one second, I thought he would leave.
Instead, he handed Chloe the handle of his suitcase.
“I’m not getting on that plane.”
Her face emptied.
“What?”
“I need answers.”
She stared at him.
“On our honeymoon?”
Carter looked at Lucy.
“Yes.”
Chloe’s eyes filled with tears.
Then hardened.
“Fine.”
She released the suitcase.
“But before you destroy our marriage over a child you didn’t even know existed, you should ask Valerie why she waited until the airport to show up.”
I stared at her.
“I didn’t show up for him.”
“Convenient.”
“No. We’re flying to Boston.”
Carter looked at me.
“Why?”
I hesitated.
Then Lucy answered.
“Doctor.”
May you like
Carter’s face changed again.
“What doctor?”
