Chapter 2: The Children He Never Knew Existed
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The music had stopped.
A waiter stood frozen beside a tower of champagne glasses.
Someone near the dessert table whispered something, but I couldn't make out the words.
Ethan stared at the children.
Brooke stared at me.
And I stood between the two little people who had become my entire world.
The little girl reached up and touched my cheek.
"Mummy, are you crying?""
I hadn't realized the tears had escaped.
I quickly wiped them away.
"No, sweetheart. I'm just happy to see you.""
The boy frowned.
"Then why does your face look sad?""
I kissed his forehead.
"Sometimes grown-ups have complicated feelings.""
He considered that for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"Okay.""
Ethan finally found his voice.
"Claire, we need to talk.""
I gave a short laugh.
"We?""
"Please.""
He glanced around the ballroom.
"Not here.""
I looked at the broken glass scattered across the marble.
"You're right. You wouldn't want your guests hearing about the family you said you never had.""
Brooke grabbed his arm.
"Ethan, what's she talking about?""
He pulled away without looking at her.
"Not now, Brooke.""
"Not now?"" Her voice rose.
"You just dropped a glass because your ex-wife walked in with two children!""
The little girl flinched.
I immediately crouched beside her.
"It's okay, honey.""
Then I looked at Brooke.
"Please don't shout around them.""
Brooke's cheeks flushed.
"I'm not shouting.""
The boy looked at her.
"You are.""
A few guests looked down to hide their expressions.
Ethan ran a hand through his hair.
"Claire, how old did you say they were?""
"Six.""
"That's impossible.""
I stared at him.
"Is it?""
"You're divorced. We haven't been together in years.""
"That's not what I asked.""
His face tightened.
"Did you have them with someone else?""
The question was so absurd that I almost laughed again.
The little boy tugged my sleeve.
"Mummy, who's that?""
I looked down.
"His name is Ethan.""
"Is he your friend?""
I hesitated.
"He used to be someone very important to me.""
The little girl studied Ethan carefully.
"He looks angry.""
"That's enough," Ethan snapped.
My daughter immediately moved behind me.
I stood.
"Don't speak to them like that.""
Ethan looked stunned.
"I wasn't talking to them.""
"You were standing in front of two six-year-olds who have no idea why a strange man is shouting.""
Brooke folded her arms.
"Claire, stop acting like the victim. You arrive at our baby shower with two children, create a scene, and expect everyone to believe some ridiculous story?""
I looked at her.
"I didn't create anything. Your husband asked a question.""
"He's confused!""
"Then perhaps you should let him think.""
Brooke opened her mouth.
But before she could respond, another voice came from the entrance.
"That's enough.""
I turned.
My mother stood near the ballroom doors.
Margaret Bennett was sixty-two, elegant, and usually the calmest person in any room.
Tonight, she looked furious.
She walked straight toward us.
"Claire, sweetheart, are you all right?""
I nodded.
"Mom.""
She placed a protective hand on my back.
Then she looked at Ethan.
"I see you've finally met your children.""
Ethan stared at her.
"Margaret...""
"Don't Margaret me.""
My mother had never liked confrontation.
But she had never forgiven Ethan for the way he left me, either.
He stepped toward her.
"You knew?""
"Of course I knew.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
My mother let out a cold laugh.
"Tell you what, Ethan? That Claire was pregnant after you spent months telling her she was the reason you couldn't have children?""
His jaw tightened.
"I never said that.""
"You said plenty.""
Brooke looked between them.
"Wait. Pregnant?""
My mother turned toward her.
"Yes. Pregnant. With twins.""
A murmur moved through the room.
Ethan looked as though someone had struck him.
"Twins?""
My daughter raised two fingers.
"Me and Leo!""
The boy nodded.
"I'm Leo. She's Lily.""
My mother smiled at them.
"That's right, sweetheart.""
Ethan looked at the children again.
"Claire...""
I took a breath.
I had imagined this moment countless times.
Sometimes in the middle of the night.
Sometimes while watching Lily and Leo sleep.
Sometimes when they asked why their friends had fathers at school events and they didn't.
But in none of those imaginary moments had I expected to be standing in the middle of a luxury hotel ballroom while my ex-husband celebrated the arrival of another baby.
"Six years ago," I began, "you left me.""
Ethan shook his head.
"Claire, I remember.""
"No. You remember signing the papers. You remember telling your lawyer to divide everything. You remember moving into your new apartment.""
I paused.
"Do you remember the morning you left?""
His eyes dropped.
I continued.
"You were standing in the kitchen. You told me you couldn't keep waiting for a child. You said you wanted a woman who could give you the future you deserved.""
His face tightened.
"I was upset.""
"So was I.""
"I didn't mean it like that.""
"Then what did you mean?""
He had no answer.
I looked down at Lily and Leo.
"Three weeks after you moved out, I discovered I was pregnant.""
Brooke's hand flew to her stomach.
"What?""
I nodded.
"I had taken a test because I was late. I thought it was another false alarm. But this time, the doctor confirmed it.""
Ethan's lips parted.
"Why didn't you call me?""
I stared at him.
"I did.""
His expression changed.
"What?""
"I called you eleven times.""
He shook his head.
"No.""
"I left messages. I sent emails. I even went to your apartment.""
"I never received anything.""
My mother stepped forward.
"That's interesting.""
Ethan looked at her.
"What does that mean?""
"It means Claire showed me every message she sent.""
He turned back toward me.
"Where are they?""
"At home.""
"Claire, I swear I never saw them.""
I held his gaze.
"Your phone number hadn't changed. Your email hadn't changed. Your apartment hadn't changed.""
"Then someone must have—"
He stopped.
For the first time, his eyes moved toward Brooke.
She was standing very still.
I noticed it.
So did my mother.
Ethan noticed us noticing.
"What's that supposed to mean?"" Brooke demanded.
"Nothing," I said.
But my mother wasn't finished.
"When Claire finally reached out to your office, she was told you had instructed your assistant not to transfer personal calls from her.""
Ethan looked confused.
"I never gave that instruction.""
"Perhaps you should ask who did.""
Brooke's face changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Ethan turned toward her.
"Brooke?""
She laughed nervously.
"Why are you looking at me?""
"I didn't say anything.""
"Then stop looking at me like that.""
The ballroom had become a theater.
Every guest was watching.
A woman near the back quietly raised her phone.
My mother noticed.
"Please put that away," she said sharply.
The woman lowered it.
I wanted to leave.
I wanted to take my children home, put them in their pajamas, and read them the story about the little bear who found his way home.
I didn't want them remembering this night.
But Ethan wasn't finished.
He crouched slightly, trying to look at Lily and Leo.
"Hello," he said softly.
Leo leaned against my leg.
Lily stared at him.
"Are you the man who made Mummy cry?""
Ethan froze.
My heart broke.
"Lily," I whispered.
She looked up at me.
"Grandma said Mummy cried a lot when we were babies.""
Ethan's face crumpled.
"She did?""
My mother answered before I could.
"Yes. She did.""
He swallowed.
"Why?""
My mother looked at him with undisguised contempt.
"Because she was twenty-eight years old, pregnant with twins, abandoned by her husband, and trying to figure out how to pay for everything alone.""
Ethan stood.
"I didn't know.""
"That's the point.""
Brooke suddenly stepped between us.
"This is ridiculous. Ethan and I are having a baby. Whatever happened between you two is in the past.""
I looked at her stomach.
"You're right.""
She seemed surprised.
I continued.
"My children aren't here to ruin your celebration. They're here because their grandmother brought them to see me.""
"Then why didn't you leave when you saw Ethan?""
I stared at her.
"Because my children ran toward me.""
Brooke's lips tightened.
Ethan rubbed his forehead.
"Claire, I need to know whether they're mine.""
I felt something inside me go cold.
"You need to know?""
"Yes.""
"You've just discovered that the woman you divorced gave birth to twins shortly after your marriage ended. What do you think?""
"I need proof.""
My mother made a disgusted sound.
"Of course you do.""
Ethan looked at me.
"I have a right to know.""
I nodded slowly.
"You're right. You do.""
He seemed relieved.
Then I added, "But you don't get to demand anything from me in front of my children.""
His expression fell.
"Claire...""
"I'll speak with you when I'm ready.""
I took Lily's hand.
My mother took Leo's.
We started toward the doors.
Then Brooke spoke.
"Wait.""
I stopped.
She approached me, her expression suddenly less smug.
"There's something you should understand.""
I turned.
She glanced at Ethan before looking back at me.
"If those children really are his, you need to know something about the divorce.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
Brooke swallowed.
Then she said something that made Ethan turn pale.
"Your husband didn't just leave you because he wanted children.""
I stared at her.
"What are you talking about?""
Brooke looked directly into my eyes.
"He left because he believed you had already made a decision that would destroy his future.""
Ethan stepped forward.
"Brooke. Don't.""
But she continued.
"Claire, didn't he ever tell you what was in the medical report from your final fertility appointment?""
My blood ran cold.
I remembered that appointment.
The white examination room.
The doctor asking Ethan to wait outside.
The sealed envelope he had carried home.
The envelope he told me contained nothing important.
I slowly turned toward Ethan.
"What medical report?""
He said nothing.
Brooke smiled faintly.
May you like
And then she whispered:
"The one that proved you could have children all along.""
