Sarah flinched.
Then her expression hardened.
“You don’t know your husband.”
Everything inside me stopped.
“What does that mean?”
“Let me inside.”
I stepped aside.
Sarah carried the baby into the living room and carefully sat down.
I couldn’t stop staring.
“Who… whose baby is that?”
Sarah looked at the child.
“Her name is Pauline.”
I instinctively reached toward her.
Sarah hesitated before gently placing the baby in my arms.
She was tiny.
Warm.
Perfect.
“Sarah, where have you been?”
“I’ve been safe.”
“For a year?”
“I couldn’t contact you.”
“Why?”
She looked directly at me.
“Because Kevin threatened to destroy your life if I did.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?”
Sarah placed a thick manila folder on the coffee table.
“I didn’t come home for a reunion, Mom. I came because you need to know where Kevin’s money has actually been going.”
“What money?”
“Grandpa’s money.”
I froze.
“My college fund.”
“Kevin moved it into a CD.”
Sarah shook her head.
“No, Mom.”
Her voice became softer.
“He emptied it.”
I almost laughed because the alternative was believing her.
“No. He showed me the statement.”
“It was fake.”
Sarah opened the folder.
