Chapter 7 - THE BAPTISM
The church was beautiful.
White roses.
Stained glass.
Morning light falling across Lily’s tiny white gown.
For one hour, I almost forgot everything.
She slept against my chest while the priest spoke.
When holy water touched her forehead, she opened her eyes and made the smallest angry face.
People laughed.
So did I.
That moment belonged to me.
Not Daniel.
Not Chloe.
Not the divorce.
Just Lily.
Afterward, we went to the Grand Regent.
Daniel transformed the moment we entered the ballroom.
He became charming.
Confident.
Generous.
The perfect host.
He greeted clients.
Hugged relatives.
Posed beside Lily.
Margaret glowed with pride.
“My son planned all of this.”
I smiled.
“I know.”
She touched my arm.
“You’re lucky.”
I almost asked which part.
The cheating?
The theft?
The custody plan?
Instead I said,
“Very.”
At three o’clock, Daniel gave a speech.
He lifted his glass.
“Becoming a father changes a man.”
I nearly choked on my drink.
He continued.
“It teaches you what matters.”
Across the table, my mother looked at me.
She knew everything.
I had told her two days earlier.
Her jaw tightened.
Daniel went on.
“And I couldn’t do any of this without Jennifer.”
People applauded.
He smiled directly at me.
That smile said something different.
Behave.
Play your part.
Do not embarrass me.
I smiled back.
Keep talking.
You’re almost done.
Then he said,
“To my wife, my daughter, and our future.”
That was when my mother nearly stood.
I touched her hand under the table.
“Not yet.”
She sat back down.
At five thirty, guests began leaving.
The hotel manager approached our table with the final balance.
Daniel signed something.
Then pushed the payment folder toward me.
“Use your card.”
I looked at the number.
$4,500.
“Why mine?”
“Because mine’s close to the limit.”
I knew why.
He had spent thousands on Chloe.
He leaned closer.
“Don’t start.”
I looked around.
His parents were still there.
My parents.
Two uncles.
Several cousins.
Three coworkers.
Enough.
I pushed the bill back.
“You pay it.”
His smile tightened.
“Jennifer.”
“No.”
“Hurry up. People are waiting.”
That was my cue.
I met his eyes.
“Why should I pay for a party built on your other woman’s baby?”
The silence was instant.
Someone dropped a spoon.
Daniel stared at me.
“What?”
I spoke louder.
“You heard me.”
His mother whispered,
“Jennifer, what are you saying?”
Daniel reached for my arm.
“She’s exhausted.”
I stood.
He stood too.
“You need to stop.”
“No, Daniel.”
I picked up the manila folder.
“You need to stop.”
His father frowned.
“What’s going on?”
Daniel looked around.
“Nothing. She’s emotional.”
My mother snapped,
“She is not emotional.”
Daniel glared at her.
I placed the folder on the table.
“I found out about Chloe four months ago.”
Margaret gasped.
Daniel stopped breathing.
Then I opened the folder.
Screenshot.
Bank transfer.
Hospital bill.
Insurance beneficiary.
Message.
Another message.
Another transfer.
Daniel stared at them like they were explosives.
His father picked up one page.
“Fifteen thousand dollars?”
Margaret turned toward Daniel.
“You gave Chloe fifteen thousand dollars?”
Daniel finally found his voice.
“She was in trouble.”
I laughed.
“So was your wife.”
His father slammed the page down.
“You used Lily’s savings?”
Daniel looked at me with hatred.
That was when I pulled out the DNA test.
He saw the heading.
His face changed.
“No.”
I slid it toward him.
“You might want to sit down.”
He didn’t.
He read the result standing.
Then read it again.
His lips parted.
He looked up.
“What is this?”
“Your new life.”
He shook his head.
“No.”
“Chloe’s baby isn’t yours.”
The words landed harder than anything else.
Daniel stumbled backward.
His mother whispered,
“Oh my God.”
And then the ballroom doors opened.
A woman stood there holding a baby carrier.
Chloe.
She looked straight at Daniel.
May you like
And said,
“We need to talk.”
