Chapter 2 — The Woman Who Stole My Life
The woman looked me up and down.
My tactical jacket.
My dirty boots.
My exhausted face.
She didn’t see danger.
She saw someone beneath her.
“Oh.”
She smiled.
“You must be Evelyn.”
My fingers tightened.
“How do you know my name?”
She laughed.
“Because your husband told me everything.”
The room became silent.
I walked toward Lily.
She looked at me with tears filling her eyes.
“Mommy…”
That one word almost destroyed me.
I dropped beside her.
“I’m here.”
She grabbed my jacket.
Like she was afraid I would disappear again.
The woman stood.
“My name is Vanessa Vale.”
She adjusted her robe.
“Grant’s future wife.”
I stared at her.
I thought I had misunderstood.
But then she said:
“Your marriage ended months ago.”
My eyes moved toward the family photos on the wall.
Photos of me.
Grant.
Lily.
A life I thought was real.
Vanessa followed my eyes.
“He said you were obsessed with your work.”
She stepped closer.
“He said you abandoned him.”
My jaw tightened.
“I left to protect people.”
She smiled.
“No.”
She whispered.
“You left because you cared more about strangers than your own family.”
Before I could answer—
May you like
The front door opened.
Grant was home.
