Chapter 2

Clara Miller looked at me, then turned her eyes to Julian. "Julian, do you know Ms. Carter?"

Julian’s Adam’s apple bobbed. I stared at him, waiting for him to speak.

Instead, he held Mary tighter and muttered, "Yes. She’s the evaluator here today for the preschool admission."

My fingers clenched the pen so hard the tip almost ripped through the evaluation form.

Mary rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes red as she asked, "Daddy, who is Ms. Carter?"

Julian avoided my gaze, stroking the child’s hair. "She’s the teacher who’s going to help evaluate you today."

Clara took Mary’s hand and spoke gently. "Mary, say hello to Ms. Carter."

Mary whispered, "Hi, Ms. Carter."

I looked at the little girl. The child was innocent.

I lowered my gaze and wrote on the form: Severe separation anxiety. High level of dependency on primary caregiver.

My pen lingered on the words "primary caregiver."

The teacher clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. "Our first parent-child activity is starting! Parents, please guide your little ones across the balance beam."

Mary immediately grabbed Julian’s sleeve. "Daddy, you promised you’d walk with me."

Julian glanced at me, then quickly looked away.

Clara took half a step back. "It’s okay, Mary. Julian might be busy today. I can walk with you."

But Mary burst into tears.

"No! Daddy promised yesterday he wouldn’t lie to me again!"

Julian’s face shifted. He grabbed Mary’s hand and gently pulled Clara to his other side.

"I’ll walk with you."

Standing under the canopy, I crumpled the corner of my evaluation sheet.

I remembered my first follow-up appointment after my miscarriage. He had promised he would be there.

But when the nurse called my name for the third time, I only received a text from him: An emergency came up at the project site.

Back then, I replied: Work comes first.

So, it wasn't that he couldn't make it. He just chose who was worth making time for.

After the activity, Mary clung to Julian's leg.

The teacher praised her for being brave. She looked up at Julian, beaming. "Daddy, was I good?"

Julian leaned down and kissed her head. "Very good."

I turned to leave, but Julian chased after me, pulling me into the corner of the hallway.

He lowered his voice. "Chloe, don't make a scene in front of the kid. You’re going to scare her looking like this."

I yanked my hand back. "Am I making a scene?"

"How else should I look?" I demanded, staring into his eyes. "Should I smile while taking notes on my husband playing daddy to someone else's child?"

Julian looked away. "It's not what you think."

"Mary’s situation is complicated. I'm just helping out."

"Does 'helping out' require Clara to call you her husband?"

His face went pale, and he avoided my eyes.

"Mary's therapist said she needs to feel her parents are a united front to build a sense of security."

"On the phone, I was just playing along to calm Mary down. It was purely for her therapy."

I crossed my arms and glared at him. "Then what about earlier? Taking Clara's bag and telling her she's been working hard?"

He whispered defensively, "She’s a single mother. It’s not easy for her. I was just—"

"Just what?" I pressed.

He let out an impatient sigh. "Chloe, you work in child psychology. You of all people should understand. We can't break her sense of security."

I dug my nails into my palms.

He was using my own profession to demand that I swallow his betrayal.

He was entirely confident that I would endure this for the rest of the day.

At the end of the hall, Mary ran out and threw herself into Julian's arms, crying. "Daddy, is Ms. Carter going to take you away?"

Julian knelt and held her close. "No. No one is taking me away."

I stood frozen in the hallway.

He didn't even look back.