Chapter 4 - THE LIFE I BUILT
The girls were asleep by eight.
I sat at the kitchen island with a cup of chamomile tea while my business partner, Naomi Brooks, reviewed the schedule for the following week.
“You saw him,” she said.
It wasn't a question.
I nodded.
Naomi lowered her tablet.
“Declan?”
“First class. Same flight. Same smirk.”
“Oh, absolutely not.”
I laughed despite myself.
“He saw the girls.”
Naomi's expression softened.
“How did he react?”
“He asked their ages. Then he went quiet.”
“Does he know?”
“He knows enough.”
Naomi sat across from me.
“Cass, you can't keep pretending this won't happen.”
“I haven't been pretending. I've been preparing.”
She glanced toward the hallway.
“You've done an incredible job with them.”
“I know.”
“And you don't owe him access just because he shares their DNA.”
“I know that, too.”
But the truth was more complicated.
I had not told Declan about the pregnancy because, by the time I discovered it, his mother had already made sure I couldn't reach him.
My calls went unanswered. His assistant told me he was traveling. The family lawyer sent a letter warning me that any attempt to contact Declan could be interpreted as harassment while the divorce settlement remained active.
I was twenty-nine, pregnant with triplets, and terrified.
I eventually sent a registered letter to his office. It came back unopened.
After that, I stopped trying.
I had three babies to protect. I couldn't spend their first months begging a man to believe they existed.
Naomi reached across the island.
“You don't have to decide everything tonight.”
“I know.”
My phone lit up.
Unknown number.
I ignored it.
It rang again.
Then a message appeared.
IT'S DECLAN. I KNOW YOU MAY NOT WANT TO HEAR FROM ME. PLEASE TELL ME THE GIRLS ARE SAFE.
I stared at the screen.
Naomi read my expression.
“Don't answer if you don't want to.”
I typed:
THEY ARE SAFE. DO NOT COME TO MY HOME OR THEIR SCHOOL. IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK WITH ME, CONTACT MY ATTORNEY.
I sent it and blocked the number.
Naomi nodded.
May you like
“Good.”
But my hands were shaking.
