Chapter 3

3

I stared at the caller ID and, after a moment of hesitation, I picked up.

The background on his end was loud. It sounded like a massive crowd.

"Why aren't you at the foster home? The director called me. What could you possibly be doing that's more important?"

Caspian's voice was sharp with accusation. He sounded rushed and stressed.

"I'm really tied up right now. You're going to be Cody's mother soon. Isn't it your job to look after the kid?"

Maybe he was afraid I wouldn't go, because his tone suddenly softened.

"I'm begging you, Sera. Just go to the center. Cody has a high fever, and I can't get away..."

Even over the phone, I could hear his genuine panic. He really cared about that boy.

The bitterness of my coffee seemed to intensify.

Just as I was about to hang up, images of Raina and Cody flashed through my mind.

An uneasy feeling settled in my gut. I ignored Caspian's rambling and pulled an old photo out of my bag.

It was from the day Caspian and I first went to the foster home.

He had taken an immediate, intense liking to Cody.

When we were leaving, he had hugged the boy so tight, neither of them wanting to let go. I had captured that moment on my phone.

"They look so much alike..."

I whispered it to myself, but Caspian caught it.

"What are you talking about? Did you hear a word I said, Serafina?"

I hit the end call button, cutting off his noise. I pulled up a high-res shot of Raina from the live stream.

I compared her face to Cody's photo for a long time. The realization made my blood run cold.

I curled into a ball on my seat, trembling.

Cody and Raina looked almost identical.

The conclusion was something I didn't want to accept.

I couldn't believe it. For seven years, Caspian hadn't told me a single truth.

After saying goodbye to my friends, I raced to the foster center.

Cody was waiting by the door. His face lit up when he saw me, and he ran over, calling me "Auntie Sera."

I stared at his face. I had never looked at him this closely before.

The boy really did take after his mother. He was the spitting image of Raina Sterling.

I let out a hollow laugh and took his small hand.

"Cody, does your fever hurt? Auntie Sera is taking you to the doctor."

Cody nodded obediently. He didn't make a sound the whole way.

He was such a well-behaved child. I used to adore that about him.

At the hospital, I didn't just get him treated. I ordered a private DNA test.

I waited until evening for the results.

The probability of Caspian being the father: 99.99%...

The strength left my legs, and I collapsed onto the hospital floor.

I clutched my chest, trying to slow my racing heart.

The entire thing was a massive lie.

Cody was the secret love child of Caspian and Raina.

Caspian was so good with the boy that I just assumed he was a natural father. I even felt bad that he didn't want kids of his own.

I was such a damn fool.

He probably agreed to date me instantly because he thought I'd make a perfect, unsuspecting stepmother.

Cody appeared by my side, looking nervous as he leaned down.

"Auntie Sera, why didn't Uncle Cas come to play with me today?"

I roughly wiped the tears from my face and looked at him with a choked voice.

"Do you want me to take you to see your daddy?"