Chapter 1: The Woman Beside My Husband
The first time my husband saw our three-month-old twin daughters, he was standing in a Miami cruise terminal with another woman's lipstick on his mouth.
And the first thing he said to me wasn't hello.
It was, "Emily, what the hell are you doing here?""
For a moment, I genuinely thought I'd misunderstood him.
I stood beneath the enormous glass windows of PortMiami, holding one baby in each arm. Around us, passengers hurried toward the exits, dragging suitcases and laughing about their vacations.
Piper slept against my shoulder. Poppy was awake, chewing on the corner of her pink blanket.
I'd spent three hours getting them ready.
Matching white dresses. Tiny pink bows. Soft shoes with little embroidered flowers.
I'd even worn the blue dress Tyler once told me made him fall in love with me.
I wanted our first family reunion to be beautiful.
Instead, I was watching my husband kiss another woman.
"Tyler," I said quietly.
He glanced at Vanessa, then at me.
"Emily, this isn't a good time.""
Vanessa laughed.
"Wait. You actually brought the babies here?""
I looked at her.
"Yes. They're his daughters.""
She examined the twins as if they were unexpected luggage.
"Oh. They're adorable.""
Then she turned toward Tyler.
"Why didn't you tell me you had two?""
My stomach tightened.
Tyler rubbed his forehead.
"Vanessa, please.""
"Don't please me. You told me your marriage was practically over.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"Practically over?""
Tyler stepped toward me.
"Can we discuss this somewhere private?""
I stared at the woman standing beside him.
"Who is she?""
"I told you. Vanessa.""
"No, Tyler. I mean who is she to you?""
He glanced at the people passing behind us.
"She's someone I met on the ship.""
Vanessa smiled.
"Someone he's been spending quite a lot of time with.""
I shifted Poppy higher against my chest.
"While I was pregnant?""
Neither answered.
That silence was worse than anything they could have said.
Five months earlier, Tyler had left for a temporary assignment aboard the luxury cruise ship Ocean Majesty. He was supposed to oversee hospitality operations while the company reorganized its management team.
I'd been seven months pregnant.
He'd kissed my stomach before leaving.
"Five months, sweetheart," he'd promised.
"Then I'll be home, and we'll raise our girls together.""
I'd believed every word.
I believed him when he called on Sundays.
I believed him when he said the ship's internet was unreliable.
I believed him when he missed our video calls because of emergencies.
When he stopped asking about my pregnancy appointments, I told myself he was exhausted.
When I delivered Piper and Poppy on a rainy Tuesday night, he wasn't there.
He watched through a video call that disconnected twice.
I remembered holding my phone above the hospital bed so he could see our daughters.
"Look at them," I'd whispered.
"They're beautiful," Tyler had replied.
"I wish you were here.""
"I wish I were too, Em. I'll make everything up to you.""
Now he was standing in front of me with another woman's lipstick on his mouth.
And he looked annoyed that I'd interrupted his afternoon.
"How long?"" I asked.
Tyler sighed.
"Emily, don't do this.""
"How long have you been sleeping with her?""
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"Since the second month.""
I looked at Tyler.
"Is that true?""
He didn't deny it.
"Five months at sea," he said.
"You can't seriously expect a man to stay faithful that long.""
I almost laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because I couldn't believe those words had come from the same man who'd cried when we saw our first ultrasound.
"You knew I was carrying your children.""
"Of course I knew.""
"You knew I was alone.""
"I sent money.""
The sentence landed like a slap.
Money.
That was his defense.
He had sent money for groceries, diapers, and the mortgage. He had paid for the hospital bills.
Apparently, he believed that covered everything else.
Vanessa checked her phone.
"Tyler, we're going to be late for dinner.""
I looked at her.
"You're going to dinner?""
She raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, sweetheart. We have reservations.""
"Your husband has two daughters he hasn't held in three months.""
Tyler's jaw tightened.
"Stop making a scene.""
Piper began stirring.
I instinctively rocked her.
"Did you ever think about us?"" I asked.
He looked toward the exit.
"Not right now.""
"Did you ever miss your daughters?""
"Emily, I'm tired. I just got off a five-month assignment.""
"And I'm not?""
He looked at my dress, my tired face, and the diaper bag hanging from my shoulder.
For one brief second, I thought I saw something familiar in his eyes.
Then it disappeared.
"Listen," he said.
"You should take the girls home. We'll talk tomorrow.""
"Tomorrow?""
"Yes.""
Vanessa touched his arm.
"Come on, darling.""
Darling.
The word sounded almost ridiculous coming from her mouth.
I looked down at my daughters.
They had Tyler's dark hair and my mother's little noses. Piper had a tiny dimple beneath her left cheek. Poppy had a habit of curling her fingers around anything she could reach.
They were innocent.
They didn't know their father was choosing dinner over meeting them.
Something inside me went strangely quiet.
"You're right, Tyler," I said.
He blinked.
"What?""
"I understand.""
His shoulders relaxed.
"Good. Finally.""
I adjusted the blanket around Poppy.
"But there's something you forgot.""
"What now?""
I nodded toward the other side of the terminal.
"Look to your right.""
Tyler turned.
Standing beside a black SUV was Michael Bennett, the cruise company's senior operations director.
Beside him stood a woman holding a thick folder.
Michael had been the one who interviewed Tyler for his position. He had also been the person who called me after Tyler's first month aboard the ship to ask whether my husband had mentioned any problems at work.
At the time, I hadn't understood the question.
Now I did.
Michael approached us.
"Emily," he said gently.
"I'm sorry.""
Tyler frowned.
"Michael? What are you doing here?""
Michael ignored him.
He looked at my daughters.
"These are Piper and Poppy?""
I nodded.
"They're beautiful.""
"Thank you.""
Then Michael turned toward Tyler.
"We need to discuss your employment.""
Tyler laughed nervously.
"Can we do this Monday? I'm off duty.""
"Your assignment ended yesterday.""
"Exactly. So I'm going home.""
Michael glanced at Vanessa.
"Are you?""
Vanessa suddenly released Tyler's arm.
Tyler noticed.
"What is this?""
The woman beside Michael opened her folder.
Her name was Rebecca Collins, the company's regional compliance director.
She removed a photograph and placed it on top of the folder.
Tyler stared at it.
The picture showed him sitting in a hospital room, holding a newborn baby.
His expression changed.
"Where did you get that?""
Rebecca didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she looked at Vanessa.
"Would you like to explain why this photograph was found in your personnel file?""
Vanessa's face went pale.
Tyler looked between them.
"What personnel file?""
Michael took a slow breath.
"Tyler, before you walked off that ship, there was something you should have known.""
Rebecca turned another page.
"And it concerns the woman standing beside you.""
Vanessa took a step backward.
Then another.
And for the first time since I'd arrived at the terminal, my husband looked genuinely frightened.
Because the baby in that photograph wasn't Piper or Poppy.
May you like
It was someone else's child.
And Vanessa had been listed as the mother.
