Chapter 1
Rachel did not stay long enough to hear Grant explain the slap.
She grabbed Maddie’s stuffed bunny from beneath the overturned birthday chair, wiped frosting from her daughter’s face with the edge of a linen napkin, and carried her toward the rooftop doors.
Grant followed.
“Rachel.”
She kept walking.
“Rachel, stop.”
Maddie buried her face against her mother’s shoulder.
That ended any possibility of Rachel stopping.
Grant caught up inside the hallway.
“I didn’t mean—”
Rachel turned.
The red mark from his hand was still visible across her cheek.
“Finish that sentence.”
Grant looked at Maddie.
His expression changed.
“Not in front of her.”
“You hit me in front of her.”
“I know.”
“You screamed that she wasn’t your daughter in front of fifty people.”
Grant lowered his voice.
“I was angry.”
Rachel laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“So was your mother when she shoved a five-year-old into a cake.”
Evelyn appeared behind Grant.
Her lipstick was perfect.
Her pearls were still straight.
Only her expression had changed.
“She should never have been given a Bennett birthday in the first place.”
Rachel stared at her.
Grant turned sharply.
“Mom.”
“No.”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“For five years we have all pretended. I’m finished pretending.”
Maddie lifted her head.
Rachel felt her daughter listening.
That was enough.
She moved away.
Grant reached toward her.
Rachel stepped back.
“Do not touch me.”
His hand dropped.
Ten minutes later, Rachel was in her car with Maddie strapped into the back seat.
She did not return to the mansion.
She drove to Maya Sullivan’s home.
Maya opened the door wearing sweatpants and reading glasses.
She took one look at Rachel’s cheek.
Then at the cake frosting still in Maddie’s hair.
“What happened?”
Rachel answered:
“I need a lawyer before I need a friend.”
Maya’s face changed immediately.
“Then come inside.”
Maddie fell asleep on Maya’s couch less than an hour later, still holding the stuffed bunny.
Rachel told Maya everything.
The birthday.
Evelyn.
The slap.
Grant’s words.
Then the sentence Rachel had thrown back at Evelyn.
Do you think your infertile son could have a child?
Maya sat very still.
“Does Evelyn know Grant is infertile?”
“She does now.”
“Did she know before tonight?”
“No.”
“How?”
“Grant made me swear.”
Rachel looked toward Maddie.
“He said his family would see him differently.”
Maya nodded slowly.
“And how was Maddie conceived?”
Rachel hesitated.
“Fertility treatment.”
“Grant’s sperm?”
“No.”
Maya’s eyes sharpened.
Rachel continued.
“We used a donor.”
“Anonymous?”
“That’s what I was told.”
Maya leaned forward.
“Rachel.”
Something in her voice made Rachel cold.
“What?”
“If Grant knew Maddie wasn’t biologically his, why did he react tonight like someone had exposed a secret he wasn’t prepared to explain?”
Rachel had no answer.
May you like
Maya looked toward the sleeping child.
“Tomorrow we start with the clinic.”
