Chapter 1: Three Tickets to London
“Mommy, do you think Daddy will cry when he sees our surprise?””
Lily held the bouquet of white roses against her pink coat, careful not to crush the petals. Her handmade card had glitter glue on the front and one crooked heart in the corner.
I smiled and adjusted the ribbon around the flowers.
“Your daddy might even cry happy tears, sweetheart.””
She giggled.
We had been standing near the international arrivals gate at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport for almost forty minutes. Daniel had been away for two weeks, supposedly attending a series of business meetings in London.
Lily had counted every night until his return.
She had even refused to go to bed early the previous evening because she wanted to finish her welcome-home card.
Then she suddenly stood on her tiptoes.
“Mommy! DADDY!””
I followed her pointing finger.
Daniel was coming down the escalator.
But he wasn't alone.
A tall blonde woman in a cream-colored coat was holding his hand. Her other hand rested against his chest, and Daniel was smiling at her in a way I hadn't seen in months.
Before I could process what I was seeing, he pulled her toward him and kissed her.
Not a friendly greeting.
Not a goodbye kiss between old friends.
A long, intimate kiss.
My fingers went numb around Lily's little backpack.
“Mommy?”” Lily whispered.
I looked down.
Her smile had disappeared.
“Why is Daddy kissing that lady?””
I couldn't find an answer.
For seven years, I had believed Daniel was a devoted husband and father. He wasn't perfect, but he had always been the man Lily ran to when she scraped her knee or woke up from a nightmare.
Now that same man was kissing another woman in front of hundreds of strangers.
Lily didn't wait for me.
“DADDY!””
She ran toward him, holding her flowers.
Daniel immediately pulled away from the blonde woman.
His face drained of color.
“Lily?””
“Surprise!”” she shouted, lifting the bouquet.
Daniel looked at me.
“Sarah? What are you doing here?””
I walked toward them slowly.
“Apparently, welcoming my husband home.””
The blonde woman stepped backward.
“Daniel, who are these people?””
I looked directly at her.
“I'm his wife. That's his daughter.””
Her mouth fell open.
“Wife?””
She turned toward Daniel.
“You told me you were divorced!””
“Vanessa, please,” Daniel muttered.
“Not here.””
I almost laughed.
Not here?
He had apparently found the perfect place to destroy his family, but he was worried about the location of the confrontation.
“How long?”” I asked.
Vanessa wiped her lips with the back of her hand.
“Four years.””
My stomach tightened.
“Four years of what?””
She looked at Daniel, then back at me.
“Four years together. We have a son. Nathan is four.””
I heard Lily sniffle beside me.
“Mommy, does Daddy have another little girl?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“A little boy, sweetheart.””
Lily stared at her.
Then she looked toward Daniel's suitcase.
“Mommy, why does that suitcase have my name?””
I followed her gaze.
Daniel's large black suitcase stood beside his feet. A transparent luggage sleeve was attached to the handle.
Inside was a printed itinerary.
Three passenger names.
Daniel Carter.
Vanessa Miller.
Lily Carter.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
I snatched the paper from the sleeve.
The destination was London.
Departure: 7:15 the following morning.
One-way tickets.
I read the names again, hoping exhaustion had made me misunderstand.
But there was no mistake.
“Daniel,” I whispered.
“Why is our daughter's name on this ticket?””
He reached for the paper.
“Give that to me.””
I stepped away.
“WHY DID YOU BOOK A FLIGHT FOR LILY?””
Vanessa stared at the itinerary.
“Wait. What?””
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“Sarah, calm down. There's an explanation.””
Vanessa's expression changed.
“You told me Lily was coming because Sarah agreed to the custody arrangement.””
I turned toward her.
“What custody arrangement?””
She opened her handbag and pulled out a folded document.
“This. Daniel said you signed it last month.””
My eyes moved across the first page.
It was a legal agreement surrendering my primary custody rights.
My full name appeared at the bottom.
So did a signature that looked almost identical to mine.
Almost.
I had never signed it.
“You forged my signature.””
Daniel grabbed my wrist.
“Stop making a scene!””
Lily screamed.
An airport security officer immediately approached.
“Sir, release her.””
Daniel let go.
I held the document toward the officer.
“I'm afraid my husband is attempting to take my daughter out of the country using forged custody papers.””
Daniel's face turned red.
“That's ridiculous. She's my daughter too!””
The officer looked at the itinerary.
Then at the custody document.
“Sir, I'm going to need everyone to remain here.””
Daniel's phone began ringing.
The caller's name appeared on the screen.
MOM.
He rejected the call.
It rang again.
This time, Vanessa reached for his phone.
“Why is your mother calling you?””
Daniel snatched it away.
“It's none of your business.””
Vanessa looked at me.
Then she said something that made the airport suddenly feel freezing.
“Sarah, I think you need to know what he told me about your daughter.””
And before she could finish, Daniel's suitcase tipped over.
A second envelope slid out from underneath his folded clothes.
May you like
On the front, in bold black letters, were the words:
*LILY CARTER — MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION.*
