Chapter 1

At the school’s End-of-Year Family Carnival, my husband, Ethan, finally gave in to our son’s begging. It was the first time he had ever come with me to pick up our son from school.

The teacher walked out, holding our son’s hand. She gave Ethan a strange look and muttered casually,

“Lily’s dad, when you used to pick up your daughter, you’d always show up thirty minutes early.”

“How come you’re so careless when it comes to your son? A father shouldn’t play favorites.”

The umbrella in Ethan's hand slipped, clattering to the wet ground. Muddy water splashed all over my legs.

I held my trembling son, who was wrapped in a faded school hoodie, and stared at the man in front of me. He felt like a total stranger.

We only had one son. Where on earth did a daughter come from?

Ethan shuddered violently, his voice shaking. “What rubbish are you talking about! I don’t have a daughter!”

The teacher got frustrated and pointed toward the preschool classroom next door.

“How could I mistake you? Just this morning, you brought a huge box of premium organic Rainier cherries for Lily to share with the other kids!”

Ethan’s face went dead white. He grabbed my shoulder and tried to push me toward the car. “The teacher got the wrong guy. Babe, let’s go. Now.”

I reached up, gently straightened his wet collar, and said softly,

“What’s the rush?”

Turning around, I smiled at the bewildered teacher.

“Could you show me the way, please?”

“I’d love to see what an amazing, world-class father my husband is to someone else's child.”