Chapter 36

The following week unfolded in the familiar cadence of our lives—the soothing melody of Oliver’s coos, the playful banter with Vince, and the comforting routines that had become the foundation of our family. One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting hues of pink and orange across the sky, a knock on the door disrupted the tranquility.

I opened the door to find a woman standing there, her dark hair cascading in waves around her shoulders. Recognition flickered in Vince’s eyes as he greeted her, “Alice.”

“Vince,” she replied, a warm smile on her face. Her gaze shifted to me, and for a moment, a subtle tension lingered in the air.

“Hello, Alice,” I said, extending a polite welcome. “What brings you here?”

Alice’s eyes softened, “I heard you and Vince had a child. I couldn’t resist coming to see for myself.”

Vince glanced at me, a silent exchange passing between us. “Come in,” he invited, and Alice stepped into our home.

As we settled