Chapter 1

At the Thanksgiving gala, my child-free wife brought a baby. The infant looked exactly like her late high school sweetheart. She claimed it was her deceased friend's child and she was just helping out.

I believed her until I woke up at midnight. I saw her holding a breast pump, rocking the baby to sleep. "Don't be afraid, little one," she whispered. "Daddy has left us, but Mommy will always protect you."

Everyone thought I would just swallow my pride and stay. But this time, I silently called my lawyer to draft a divorce agreement. Two years of pining, five years of dating, and three years of marriage.

I had been Gwen's devoted shadow for ten years. Now, I was finally done.

1 I couldn't sleep that night. I got up to get a glass of warm milk and noticed my wife wasn't in bed. The sheets beside me were already cold.

I walked out barefoot and opened the living room door. My wife, Gwen, was sitting with her back to me, nursing the baby. "Don't be afraid, Teddy. Mommy's here. Stop crying, sweetheart."

"Drink up, baby. Grow up to be tall just like your daddy," she murmured. I frowned and spoke up from the shadows. "Gwen, what are you doing?"

Gwen jumped, nearly dropping the bottle. She turned around and glared at me with resentment. "Grant! Why are you shouting? I just got the baby to sleep!"

"Why did you just tell the baby to call you Mommy?" I asked, my heart sinking. Gwen looked away nervously. "You must be dreaming. I clearly said Auntie!"

I rubbed my eyes, wondering if I really had misheard her. "Fine. I'm going to heat some milk. You should get some sleep too."

After the milk, I drifted off for a bit. But I was woken up by Gwen's muffled voice on the phone. "Maddie, are you sure Grant hasn't suspected anything about the baby?"

My sister-in-law's voice came through the speaker. "What could that idiot possibly find out? He's buried in work all day. He still has no clue you're Teddy's real mother."

Gwen let out a cold laugh. "True. Anyway, get some sleep. If he ever finds out, we'll just say he's your secret child from some fling."

I sat up in bed, my sleepiness replaced by pure shock. Gwen had brought Teddy home three months ago. I never doubted her, but now I realized her whole family saw me as a fool.