CHAPTER 2 — THE TRUTH SHE HID
The wedding hall slowly became quieter.
Guests began noticing something was wrong.
Sophia led Ethan into a private room.
Lily sat beside Ethan, holding her stuffed rabbit.
Ethan stared at Sophia.
“Start talking.”
Sophia looked at the floor.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Lily is my daughter.”
The room went silent.
Ethan’s face changed.
“You told me you couldn’t have children.”
Sophia closed her eyes.
“I was scared.”
“Scared of what?”
She looked at Lily.
“Losing you.”
Ethan stepped back.
“So you hid your own child from me?”
“I didn’t know how to tell you.”
“You had three years.”
Sophia cried.
“I thought you would leave.”
Ethan looked at Lily.
The little girl was quiet.
Too quiet.
A child who had learned to hide.
That hurt him more.
“Does Lily know who I am?”
Sophia hesitated.
That hesitation answered everything.
Ethan knelt beside the girl.
“Lily… what did your mom tell you about me?”
The little girl looked up.
“She said you were a nice man.”
Ethan waited.
“But?”
The girl whispered:
“She said you weren’t my daddy.”
Ethan’s heart broke.
He looked at Sophia.
“Is that true?”
Sophia couldn’t answer.
Then Lily reached into her small bag.
She pulled out an old photograph.
She handed it to Ethan.
The picture showed Sophia years ago.
Holding a baby.
Standing beside a man Ethan had never seen.
On the back of the photo was a date.
The same date Sophia told Ethan she was traveling alone.
Ethan looked confused.
“Who is this man?”
Sophia became pale.
“That’s Lily’s father.”
“Where is he?”
Sophia looked away.
“He disappeared.”
Ethan studied her face.
“Disappeared… or you never told me?”
Before Sophia could answer, Lily spoke.
“My mom says I’m not supposed to talk about him.”
Ethan looked at Sophia.
And realized the secret was bigger than a child.
May you like
There was something else.
Something she was still hiding.
