Chapter 13: The Child Nobody Knew About
The silence after my question was unbearable.
I looked at Cole.
Waiting.
Begging him, in some small broken part of me, to say no.
To tell me this was another misunderstanding.
Another secret someone twisted.
But Cole didn’t answer.
And that was enough.
My hand moved protectively over my stomach.
“Cole.””
My voice was barely a whisper.
“Do you have another child?””
His face collapsed.
“I don’t know.””
I stared at him.
“You don’t know?””
Hannah walked closer.
“Sarah…”
I turned toward her.
“Did you know?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.””
The room spun.
“You knew?””
“I didn’t know how to tell you.””
I laughed softly.
A painful sound.
“Everyone knew except me.””
Nobody spoke.
My father looked away.
My mother cried silently through the phone.
And Cole just stood there.
The man who had promised to spend his life with me.
The man who had promised our daughter would be his first child.
“You let me believe this baby was your first.””
Cole’s eyes filled.
“I was going to tell you.””
“When?””
He didn’t answer.
“When she was born?””
“No.””
“When she was old enough to ask why her father had another child somewhere?””
“Sarah—”
“Answer me!””
My voice echoed through the room.
Cole flinched.
“I was scared.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
I wiped away my tears.
“You were protecting yourself.””
He looked down.
And I knew.
He wasn’t sorry because he got caught.
He was sorry because everything was falling apart.
Hannah sat down.
“I found out I was pregnant after I left him.””
I looked at her.
“You left?””
She nodded.
“When I realized Cole was planning to use me against your family, I ended things.””
“But you never told him?””
Her face changed.
“I tried.””
“What happened?””
She looked at Cole.
He didn’t move.
“I called him.””
Her voice trembled.
“He said he didn’t believe me.””
My eyes moved to Cole.
“Is that true?””
He whispered:
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt.
More than another lie.
“Why?””
“Because I thought she was trying to trap me.””
Hannah closed her eyes.
“I was carrying his child.””
The words were quiet.
But they destroyed the room.
I walked to the window.
Outside, the yard was still covered with decorations from my baby shower.
Pink balloons.
White chairs.
A celebration of a future that suddenly felt impossible.
“My daughter…”
I whispered.
Cole stepped closer.
“Sarah.””
I turned around.
“Don’t.””
He stopped.
“You don’t get to comfort me.””
He looked like he wanted to cry.
“I love you.””
I shook my head.
“You loved me while hiding another woman and another child.””
“I was wrong.””
“Yes.””
My voice broke.
“You were.””
For the first time, nobody defended him.
Not my mother.
Not my father.
Not even himself.
My phone rang again.
Darla.
I answered.
“What now?””
Her voice was shaking.
“I need to tell you something else.””
I almost laughed.
“Of course you do.””
“Sarah, please listen.””
I closed my eyes.
“Fine.””
There was a long pause.
Then she said:
“Hannah’s baby wasn’t the only reason Cole was afraid.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Darla whispered:
“Because Richard knew about the baby.””
The room went silent.
My father looked up.
“What?””
Darla continued.
“Richard planned to use the child.””
My stomach tightened.
“For what?””
Her voice broke.
“To destroy Cole.””
I looked at Cole.
“Your father wanted to destroy you?””
Cole nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
“But why?””
He looked at me.
“Because I betrayed him.””
I felt cold.
“How?””
Cole swallowed.
“I helped your father expose him.””
Everyone froze.
I stared.
“You?””
He nodded.
“Years ago, I found out what my father was doing.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You helped me?””
Cole nodded.
“I was trying to stop him.””
I felt my head spinning.
“So you weren’t only after revenge?””
“No.””
“Then why did you marry me?””
He closed his eyes.
“Because when I met you, I was supposed to use you.””
A pause.
“But then I actually loved you.””
I wanted to believe him.
I hated that I wanted to.
Then Hannah’s phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her face changed.
“What?””
I watched her answer.
For several seconds, she listened.
Then she whispered:
“No.””
Her hand covered her mouth.
“What happened?””
She looked at me.
Tears filled her eyes.
“It’s my son.””
The room went still.
“What about him?””
May you like
Hannah looked terrified.
“He’s missing.””
