Chapter 3: What Daniel Saw in My Hand
I pushed most of the photographs beneath the sweater, but one slipped onto the carpet.
Daniel appeared in the doorway before I could reach it.
“Karen?
Why are you unpacking Mia’s suitcase?”
He saw the photograph.
His face changed.
“Give me that.”
“Who is she?”
Daniel crossed the room and reached for it, but I stepped back.
“Karen, this is not how you want to learn about this.”
“Then there is something to learn.”
Mia was still on the phone.
I turned on the speaker and placed it on the dresser.
“Mia,” I said, “you told me you weren’t seeing Daniel.”
“I’m not.”
Daniel stared at the phone.
“You’ve been following me, haven’t you?”
“I saw you with that child three months ago,” Mia replied.
“You made Karen believe you were visiting your brother.”
“That was none of your business.”
“It became my business when I saw the account statement.”
Daniel’s hand stopped in midair.
“What account statement?” I asked.
He grabbed the envelope from the suitcase.
“Mia has always been jealous of our marriage.
She collected a few photographs and built a story around them.”
“Then tell me the real story.”
Daniel looked at the picture in my hand.
“Her name is Lily.”
“Why does she call you Daddy?”
His jaw tightened.
“Because I am her father.”
The room seemed to tilt.
I gripped the bedpost and forced myself to stay upright.
“How old is she?”
“Eight.”
“We have been married for eleven years.”
“I know how long we’ve been married.”
Mia’s voice came through the speaker.
“Ask him about Lily’s mother.”
Daniel snatched my phone, but I caught his wrist.
“Don’t touch it.”
“Karen, your friend brought private family matters into our home.”
“Your family matters?
I thought I was your family.”
“You are.
Lily was a mistake from years ago.”
“A child is not a mistake.”
He released the phone and began placing the photographs back into the envelope.
“We will discuss this after Mia leaves us alone.”
The doorbell rang downstairs.
“That will be her,” I said.
Daniel blocked the bedroom doorway.
“She is not coming inside.”
I looked at the man I had shared a bed with for eleven years.
“You don’t decide that tonight.”
I moved past him and opened the front door.
Mia stood on the porch holding my suitcase, her eyes red and frightened.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
Daniel came down behind me.
“You will be when I speak to your employer.”
Mia lifted her chin.
“Tell Karen where the money for Lily’s house came from.”
“What money?” I asked.
Daniel’s smile disappeared.
Mia reached into my suitcase and removed a folded property record.
“Karen, the house in those photographs was purchased with money from the inheritance your father left you.”
Daniel tore the document from her hand.
“That is a lie.”
Mia didn’t look at him.
“Turn to the last page, Karen.
Look at the signature.”
I pulled the page from Daniel’s fingers.
My name was written at the bottom.
But I had never signed it.
