“I checked.”
“And didn’t tell me?”
“I was waiting until I confirmed the birth record.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
“Confirmed?”
“Yes.”
I stopped breathing.
“Father listed?”
Another pause.
“Yes.”
“Corbin?”
“Yes.”
The hotel room disappeared around me.
Everything reduced to that word.
Yes.
Theo Vale.
Corbin’s son.
Born four months before I left for Malaysia.
Which meant during the months when Corbin and I were discussing whether I should accept the overseas contract, he already had a child with another woman.
Maybe before Theo was born.
Maybe after.
But he knew.
He encouraged me to go anyway.
I sat on the edge of the bed.
My body felt numb.
Audrey spoke carefully.
“Sariah.”
“I’m here.”
“You need to hear the next part.”
I laughed.
“No.”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
“What?”
“The birth certificate originally listed Mara’s surname.”
“So?”
“The child’s surname was changed later.”
“When?”
“Seventeen months ago.”
I opened my eyes.
“To Vale.”
“Yes.”
That meant Corbin had formally acknowledged him at some point during my absence.
Not just privately.
Legally.
A son carrying his name.
While sending me messages about how much he missed me.
I asked Audrey, “Was there a paternity acknowledgment?”
“Yes.”
“Signed by Corbin.”
“Yes.”
I almost hung up.
Instead, I whispered, “I’m coming in.”
At Audrey’s office, she placed every document in front of me.
Birth records.
Property records.
Refinance.
LLC filings.
Bank transfers.
The outline of a second life.
Not a secret weekend affair.
A parallel household.
“I want to confront him.”
Audrey nodded.
“I expected that.”
“You’re not stopping me?”
“No.”
She slid a folder toward me.
“But not alone.”
I stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because you are going to serve him.”
The divorce petition was ready.
Financial restraining provisions included.
Not because we had children.
Because there were serious concerns about asset dissipation.
Audrey wanted the petition filed before Corbin knew I was home.
By 4:00, it was.
At 6:15, I texted him.
Home early.
At condo.
His reply came less than a minute later.
What?
Then:
You’re home?
Then:
Why didn’t you tell me?
I smiled without humor.
