Chapter 4
The first thing I did Monday morning was call a lawyer.
Her name was Danielle Price.
She specialized in family law and had been recommended by my aunt.
By ten o'clock, Marcus and I were sitting across from her in a quiet office downtown.
Lily was spending the morning with Aunt Ruth.
I didn't want her hearing another conversation about who her father was.
Danielle listened while I explained everything.
My relationship with Daniel.
The letter.
Evelyn's confrontation.
Vanessa's messages.
When I finished, she placed her pen on the desk.
"Nia, I need you to understand something."
I nodded.
"Daniel being Lily's biological father does not automatically give him permission to take her."
Relief washed through me.
"But he can go to court?"
"Depending on the circumstances and the applicable law, he may be able to seek a legal determination of parentage and request parenting rights."
Marcus leaned forward.
"What about me?"
Danielle looked at him.
"Are you listed on Lily's birth certificate?"
He shook his head.
"No. Nia and I married after Lily was born. I've raised her since she was a baby."
"Have you formally adopted her?"
My stomach tightened.
"No."
We had talked about it.
More than once.
But every time we started the paperwork, life got busy.
Moving houses.
Changing jobs.
Planning for school.
We always assumed there would be more time.
Now I regretted every delay.
Danielle made several notes.
"We need to examine Lily's legal parentage carefully before deciding the next steps."
Marcus nodded.
"Whatever it takes."
She looked at me.
"I also recommend preserving every message from Daniel and Vanessa."
"I already have them."
"Good. And don't respond directly to threats."
We discussed protective measures.
Documentation.
School pickup arrangements.
How to handle unwanted contact.
By the time we left, I felt overwhelmed.
But at least we had a plan.
That afternoon, I went to pick up Lily from Aunt Ruth's house.
My aunt opened the door before I knocked.
She was seventy-one, with silver curls and the kindest eyes I'd ever known.
She hugged me tightly.
"Baby, I heard about what happened at church."
My throat tightened.
"I'm sorry everyone knows."
She pulled back.
"Why are you apologizing?"
I looked down.
"Because it's embarrassing."
Ruth lifted my chin.
"Nia, you didn't embarrass yourself. That woman embarrassed herself."
I smiled weakly.
Inside, Lily was sitting on the carpet building a tower of blocks.
When she saw me, she jumped up.
"Mommy!"
I caught her in my arms.
She kissed my cheek.
"Can we get ice cream?"
I laughed.
"Maybe after lunch."
She grinned.
For a few precious minutes, everything felt normal.
Then Aunt Ruth handed me an envelope.
"This came for you."
I frowned.
"Who brought it?"
"A courier."
There was no return address.
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed me leaving Daniel's apartment six years earlier.
My hair was longer.
My face looked exhausted.
I remembered that night.
It was the night I finally escaped.
On the back, someone had written:
"You can't rewrite history."
My hands went cold.
Aunt Ruth noticed.
"What is it?"
I slipped the photograph back into the envelope.
"Something from Daniel."
Her expression hardened.
"That man needs to leave you alone."
I nodded.
But deep down, I knew he wasn't going to stop.
That evening, Marcus came home early.
He found me sitting at the kitchen table staring at the photograph.
I handed it to him.
He examined it.
"Who took this?"
"I don't know."
He looked at me.
"Was he following you?"
"Maybe."
Marcus sat beside me.
"I spoke to my mother today."
I stiffened.
"What did she say?"
"She admitted meeting Daniel twice."
My stomach turned.
"Twice?"
"Once at Vanessa's office. Once at a restaurant."
I stared at him.
"Why?"
"She claims she wanted to understand what happened before Lily was born."
I laughed bitterly.
"Of course."
Marcus continued.
"She told him where Lily goes to school."
My entire body froze.
"What?"
He nodded grimly.
I stood so quickly that my chair scraped the floor.
"She told him where our daughter goes to school?"
"Nia—"
"Marcus, he could show up there!"
"I know."
I pressed a hand against my chest.
"Your mother has no idea what she's done."
Marcus stood.
"I've already contacted the principal. We're updating Lily's authorized pickup list and the school safety plan."
I stared at him.
He moved closer.
"Nobody except us and Aunt Ruth will pick her up."
I began trembling.
He gently held my shoulders.
"Look at me."
I raised my eyes.
"We are handling this together."
I wanted to believe him.
I desperately wanted to.
But that night, I barely slept.
Every sound outside made me sit up.
Every passing car sent my heart racing.
Around midnight, I checked Lily's bedroom for the fourth time.
She was sleeping peacefully.
Her stuffed rabbit rested beside her pillow.
I sat on the edge of her bed.
I brushed a braid away from her forehead.
"Mommy loves you," I whispered.
She stirred.
Then murmured, "Love you too."
I kissed her cheek.
When I returned to our bedroom, Marcus was awake.
He held out his hand.
I climbed into bed beside him.
For a long time, we lay silently.
Then he whispered, "Nia?"
"Yes?"
"Do you still love me?"
The question hurt.
I turned toward him.
"Of course I do."
He looked at the ceiling.
"I've been trying not to take what happened personally."
I swallowed.
"I know."
"But when my mother said Lily wasn't mine, something inside me broke."
I touched his face.
"Marcus."
He looked at me.
"I know I'm not her biological father."
Tears filled my eyes.
"But I've loved her since the first time she grabbed my finger."
I nodded.
"I remember."
He smiled sadly.
"She was so tiny."
I leaned closer.
"You are her father in every way that matters to her."
His eyes filled.
"Then why did you think you had to hide Daniel from me?"
I lowered my head.
"Because I was afraid the truth would change how you saw us."
Marcus was silent.
Then he whispered, "It did change something."
My heart stopped.
He took my hand.
"It made me realize how much fear you've been carrying alone."
I burst into tears.
He pulled me close.
"I wish you'd trusted me sooner."
"I do too."
We held each other until the tears stopped.
For the first time since church, I believed our marriage might survive.
The next morning, that hope was tested again.
At 8:42, the school principal called.
Her voice was tight.
"Mrs. Carter, Lily is safe, but we need you to come immediately."
My blood ran cold.
"What happened?"
"A man arrived asking to see her."
I gripped the counter.
"Who?"
There was a pause.
"He identified himself as Daniel Reed."
I couldn't breathe.
"Where is he now?"
"He's been denied access, and security is handling the situation."
Then she said something that made my knees weaken.
"He brought documents claiming he is Lily's father."
May you like
I closed my eyes.
And the nightmare I had spent six years running from had finally reached my daughter's school.
