7
く
Ethan led Savannah away.
I got out of bed and went to find Riley.
I asked her what Ethan had asked, and she
repeated exactly what Ethan had said.
As we walked back to the room, Riley wasn’t her usual bouncy self. She seemed distracted.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Who was that man? Why did he keep asking
about my dad? I don’t have a dad.”
“He’s just my brother. He’s been gone a long
time. He just wanted to know how we’re
doing.”
Biley nodded slowly
<
“Will he come back?”
Her question caught me off guard.
Was it possible she sensed something?
“‘
“He’s busy. And we’re going home soon. He
lives here, so he can’t come see us very
often.”
Her smile faded.
“I saw him holding a little girl’s hand. Is that
his daughter?”
I nodded.
I suddenly felt sorry for Riley. This wasn’t the
first time Ethan had chosen Bethany’s kid
ever bor
Г
When I found out I was pregnant, Ethan
hadn’t been home in over a month.
We’d been out of touch.
When I got the news, I was excited and
terrified.
We both loved kids and had spent hours
dreaming about our future family.
He wanted a daughter and had even picked
out a name: Savannah.
He hoped she would have an easy life.
And he gave that name to Bethany’s
daughter.
L
Before going to the hospital, I decided to find
him and tell him the news. But he wouldn’t
see me.
I camped out in front of his office, determined
to confront him.
He sent his assistant to tell me that Bethany
was with him and that I should stop acting up.
If I stressed Bethany out, he wouldn’t forgive
- me.
He’d threatened me for Bethany.
I was so heartbroken that I couldn’t even hold
the report.
I ended up back home, crying on the floor.
Eventually, I decided to raise the child alone.
く
Soon after, Ethan arranged for me to leave
the country.
That made my resolve even stronger.
I knew I could never let him know about Riley.
Over the years, he flaunted Bethany’s kid on
social media.
Did he ever think he was missing his own
daughter grow up?
Not long after we left the hospital, Ethan sent
me a message.
“Riley, why didn’t you tell me?”
I knew it wouldn’t be hard for him to dig up
