Colton stared at the maid.
“Tell me what?”
She looked at her daughter standing in the doorway.
Then she looked at the blonde woman.
“I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me.”
Colton’s voice softened.
“I believe you.”
The maid began to cry.
“She threatened to take my daughter away if I ever told you what was happening.”
Colton slowly turned toward the blonde woman.
“What is she talking about?”
The woman said nothing.
The maid reached into the pocket of her soaked uniform and pulled out a small, folded photograph.
Her hands were shaking as she gave it to Colton.
He opened it.
His face immediately changed.
It was a photograph of the little girl—but she was much younger.
Standing beside her was Colton.
And written on the back were three words:
“Our daughter, Emma.”
Colton looked at the little girl.
Then at the maid.
His voice almost disappeared.
“Emma… is my daughter?”
The maid nodded through her tears.
“I tried to tell you years ago. She made sure you never found out.”
Colton slowly stood.
The blonde woman backed toward the door.
“Colton…”
He looked at her with tears in his eyes—not anger this time, but betrayal.
“You stole years from me.”
The little girl ran into his arms.
“Are you going to leave us too?”
Colton dropped to his knees and held her tightly.
“Never.”
The maid covered her face and sobbed.
For the first time in years, mother and daughter were no longer alone.
But as Colton held them both, he noticed one final detail on the photograph.
There was another name written beneath Emma’s.
A name he had never seen before.
And suddenly, Colton realized this secret was much bigger than he thought.
END OF PART 2.
