Chapter 2 - The Woman I Thought Was Helpless Knew Daniel Mercer Was Alive—And She Had Been Hiding Something From Me Since the Day Sophie Was BornI confronted Hannah that night.
Not in front of the children.
Not in the nursery.
I took her into my study.
She sat across from me with both hands folded in her lap.
She looked tired.
Not afraid.
That bothered me.
People who knew what I knew usually feared me.
Hannah simply looked resigned.
I placed the photograph on the table.
“Explain.”
Her face went pale.
“You found him.”
“Who is he?”
She stared at the photograph.
“Daniel.”
“Daniel Mercer.”
She nodded.
I leaned back.
“Dead for eight years.”
“Yes.”
“I attended his funeral.”
“I know.”
“You know?”
She closed her eyes.
“Andrew, there are things I did to survive.”
“Don't make this about survival.”
“It was always about survival.”
My voice hardened.
“Why were you standing beside a dead man?”
“He wasn't dead.”
I stared.
She continued:
“He disappeared.”
“Why?”
“Because men like you wanted him dead.”
I almost laughed.
“Men like me?”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
“Yes.”
“Your world.”
I looked at the photograph again.
Daniel Mercer had once been the only man in Milwaukee dangerous enough to challenge me openly.
Then he vanished.
His death was accepted by everyone.
Including me.
I had taken over his territory.
His businesses.
His contacts.
His enemies.
If Daniel was alive, none of that was secure.
“You knew where he was.”
“For years.”
“Where?”
“I can't tell you.”
I stood.
“Then tell me why Sophie came into my life.”
Silence.
That was the question.
Hannah looked toward the door.
“Because I couldn't protect her anymore.”
“From Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“What does he want?”
She whispered:
“The children.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Because their father left something behind.”
“Who is their father?”
She looked at me.
“You.”
The room went silent.
I actually laughed.
It sounded bitter.
“Hannah.”
“I knew you'd react like that.”
“Because it's absurd.”
“Is it?”
I thought about the first day.
Sophie.
The twins.
The way she had approached me without fear.
The way she had trusted me.
I had assumed she was just a brave child.
Now another possibility existed.
“What are you saying?”
Hannah swallowed.
“Daniel is the biological father of Mason and Noah.”
I stared.
“And Sophie?”
“She is yours.”
I couldn't breathe.
“What?”
“Sophie is your daughter.”
The world narrowed.
I sat down.
“You're lying.”
“I wish I were.”
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
I remembered one night.
A private hotel.
A woman I knew only as Hannah.
One conversation.
One mistake.
No names.
No promises.
I had never seen her again.
Until the grocery store.
Sophie was six.
The math fit.
I looked at the photograph of her.
Suddenly her eyes looked familiar.
My eyes.
I stared at Hannah.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your world wasn't safe.”
“You could have tried.”
“Your world killed everyone who came close to you.”
“Then why bring her to Milwaukee?”
“I didn't.”
That stopped me.
“Explain.”
Hannah leaned forward.
“Someone found us.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“How?”
“Someone knew where we lived. Someone knew about the babies. Someone knew about you.”
“What about the formula?”
“She had no food.”
“So Sophie found me?”
“No.”
Hannah's face changed.
“Someone sent her.”
I stood.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying again.”
“I swear.”
Then Sophie appeared in the doorway.
She was holding Mason.
The baby was sleeping.
Noah was in a carrier behind her.
“Mom?”
Hannah turned.
“What?”
Sophie looked at me.
“Are you mad?”
I crouched.
“No.”
“Then why are you shouting?”
I glanced at Hannah.
She looked ashamed.
I turned back to Sophie.
“Do you know what a father is?”
She nodded.
“Someone who stays.”
The words hit me.
I looked at Hannah.
She began crying.
I looked back at Sophie.
“Then I guess I'm your father.”
She smiled.
“Good.”
She walked forward and put the baby's blanket in my hands.
“Hold him.”
I did.
Noah's tiny fingers curled around mine.
I had never held a baby before.
Not like that.
Something changed inside me.
Not because he was biologically mine.
Because he trusted me.
I looked at Sophie.
“Come here.”
She stepped closer.
I pulled both children toward me.
Hannah watched.
Then whispered:
“Now you understand why I was afraid.”
I did.
Because if Daniel Mercer was alive…
And if he believed the children belonged to him…
Then the three of them weren't simply vulnerable.
May you like
They were targets.
And someone had deliberately brought them to me.
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