I called my mom right after giving birth to my daughter, but she laughed and said she was too busy with my sister’s birthday party to care. My sister shouted that I had ruined her special day, and I hung up in tears holding my baby. But the very next day, they were standing in front of me… begging.

My mother and sister exchanged a look so quick most people would have missed it.

But I didn’t.

“What was that?” I asked.

“Nothing,” my mother said.

I sat up straighter despite the pain tearing through my abdomen. “Tell me.”

Vanessa pressed her lips together.

My mother stood. “This isn’t the time.”

“It is exactly the time,” I snapped. “What do you know about Daniel?”

No one moved.

Then Vanessa whispered, “He came to my party last night.”

Everything inside me went still.

“What?”

“He showed up around nine,” she said. “Said you were fine. Said labor was taking forever and you told him to go.”

My vision narrowed.

“That’s a lie.”

“I know,” Vanessa said. “Because later he went outside to take a call. I followed him because…” She hesitated. “Because I thought he was meeting someone.”

My grip tightened on Lily’s blanket.

“And was he?” I asked.

Vanessa met my eyes.

“Yes,” she said. “My cousin Rachel.”