Chapter 6 - THE VISITS NO ONE KNEW ABOUT
Rosa crouched in front of Lily.
“When did he come see you?”
Lily shrugged.
“Lots.”
Richard stepped forward.
“She’s three.”
Ethan blocked his path.
“Don’t.”
Richard stared at him.
“Move.”
“No.”
Rosa kept her voice soft.
“Sweetheart, did that man talk to you?”
Lily nodded.
“He asked if Mommy talks about Daddy.”
Rosa slowly stood.
Her face had gone cold.
“You questioned my daughter?”
Richard replied, “I checked on her welfare.”
“You spied on us.”
“I made sure she was cared for.”
“You blacklisted me, then watched me struggle?”
Richard’s silence was answer enough.
Ethan turned to Mrs. Hall.
“Get Lily somewhere quiet.”
Rosa shook her head.
“No.”
“She shouldn’t hear this.”
“She shouldn’t have been part of it.”
Fair.
Ethan looked at Lily.
He crouched slowly.
“Hey.”
She stared at him.
“I’m Ethan.”
“I know.”
Despite everything, he almost smiled.
“You do?”
“You’re on TV.”
A few guests laughed nervously.
Ethan swallowed.
“Yeah.”
Lily touched the edge of his jacket.
“Are you really my dad?”
His eyes filled.
“I think...”
He stopped.
No.
She deserved certainty.
“Yes.”
Lily studied him.
Then asked, “Where were you?”
The question destroyed him.
Rosa closed her eyes.
Ethan looked at his daughter.
“I didn’t know.”
“Why?”
“Because some grown-ups made bad choices.”
Richard’s face tightened.
Ethan continued, “And I should’ve looked harder for your mom.”
Rosa glanced at him.
That mattered.
He wasn’t blaming only his father.
Lily asked, “Do you have kids?”
Several people looked away.
Ethan laughed through a painful breath.
“I guess I do.”
She thought about that.
Then she touched his cheek.
“You look sad.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Because I missed you.”
Lily’s hand stayed there for two seconds.
Then Victoria snapped, “This is insane.”
Everyone turned.
Her mascara had begun to smudge.
“This was supposed to be my wedding.”
Rosa immediately moved Lily behind her.
Victoria pointed at Ethan.
“You’re throwing away six years over a woman who lied to you.”
Rosa said, “I didn’t.”
“You kept his child.”
“I tried to tell him.”
“You should have tried harder.”
Rosa stared at her.
Then said quietly, “You knew where he lived.”
Victoria’s face changed.
Rosa continued.
“You knew Lily was his.”
“Yes.”
“And you still walked down that aisle.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“You think he’s choosing you?”
Rosa shook her head.
“I don’t want him to choose me.”
That stunned Ethan.
Rosa took Lily’s hand.
“I want him to choose his daughter.”
Then the ballroom doors opened.
A man in a dark suit entered with two police officers.
Victoria’s father, Charles Langford, turned white.
The man held up a folder.
“Ethan Cole?”
Ethan faced him.
“Yes?”
“I’m Special Agent Daniel Shaw.”
May you like
He looked toward Richard.
“We need to discuss financial fraud involving Cole Infrastructure.”
