Nancy’s world completely shattered at her husband Patrick’s funeral. The man she had shared everything with—her love, her life—was gone. He’d died in a terrible car accident. She couldn’t believe it.
The grief was suffocating, and the thought of facing the rest of her life without him felt impossible. It felt like a cruel joke, and as she stood at the cemetery, her mind refused to accept that he was gone forever.
She left the funeral, numb, her heart heavy. Her steps were slow, almost like she was dragging herself through a dream, one where everything had gone wrong. As she neared the exit of the cemetery, something unexpected happened.
An older woman appeared in front of her. In her arms, she held a small, squirming baby.
“Are you Nancy?” the woman asked, her voice shaking, and the baby let out a soft cry.
Nancy stopped in her tracks. “Yes. Who are you?” she asked, confused and slightly alarmed.
“My name is Amanda,” the woman replied. “This is Patrick’s daughter. Her mother can’t care for her anymore. I thought you should know.”
Nancy’s heart skipped a beat. She took a step back, trying to make sense of what she’d just heard. “What? No… that’s impossible. Patrick would never betray me like that!” she said, her voice rising in disbelief.
Without another word, she spun on her heels and walked away, her mind racing. But the words of the mysterious woman stayed with her, gnawing at her, even as she bumped into Mike, one of Patrick’s old friends.
They exchanged a few quick pleasantries, but Nancy couldn’t focus. Her thoughts were clouded by what Amanda had said.
When Nancy reached her car, she froze. There, in the back seat, was the same baby Amanda had been holding. The little one was crying softly, alone. And Amanda? She was nowhere to be found.
Confused and panicked, Nancy wrapped the baby in her jacket to protect her from the cold. But as she held the baby close, she noticed something that made her blood run cold. A small birthmark on the child’s neck, in the same spot as Patrick’s.
Nancy’s heart sank. Could it really be true? Had Patrick fathered this child? The very thought shook her to the core. She needed answers, and she needed them fast.
The next day, she rushed home and grabbed a hair from Patrick’s brush, her hands shaking. She drove straight to the hospital for a paternity test.
“Can I get the results expedited?” Nancy asked the receptionist, her voice tight with emotion.
The receptionist nodded, a sympathetic look in her eyes. “It’ll cost extra, but we can prioritize it.”
Nancy handed over the hair sample and waited. She tried to distract herself by caring for the baby, feeding her, trying to calm the storm inside her. But every minute felt like an eternity.
Finally, the nurse arrived with an envelope. Nancy’s hands trembled as she took it, knowing she wouldn’t like what was inside.
She ripped it open and read the words that confirmed her worst fear: “Paternity rate – 99%.”
Patrick had cheated on her. The world she’d known collapsed around her, and Nancy’s stomach churned as she looked down at the baby. She felt betrayed, but strangely, something else rose inside her—a need to do the right thing.
She couldn’t ignore this child, and she needed to find out more.
She searched Patrick’s belongings, hoping for a clue. But there was nothing. She turned to his car’s GPS, hoping for a lead. One address stood out, one Nancy didn’t recognize. She had to follow it.
She drove there, her heart pounding in her chest. The house was small, modest. She knocked on the door, but no one answered. Desperate, she turned to the neighbors for answers. To her shock, it was Amanda who answered the door.
“What are you doing here?” Nancy asked, her voice shaking with confusion.
Amanda’s face softened, but she hesitated before answering. “This house… it belonged to Emma. The baby’s mother.”
Nancy’s stomach twisted. “Emma? Was her last name Warren?”
Amanda nodded. “Yes.”
Nancy’s knees went weak as the truth hit her like a freight train. Emma was her classmate. And Emma was someone Nancy had wronged in the worst way possible.
Twenty Years Ago
Back in high school, Nancy had been madly in love with Patrick. But Patrick had fallen for Emma. When Patrick broke up with her to be with Emma, Nancy’s heart shattered. The pain of losing him was unbearable, and her jealousy consumed her.
Nancy couldn’t stand the thought of Patrick being happy with someone else.
Ignoring her mother’s warnings, Nancy plotted revenge. She spread rumors, set up “accidental” meetings, and created drama in every way she could think of. But nothing worked. Patrick and Emma’s love was unshakeable.
In a desperate move, Nancy lied. She told Patrick that she was pregnant. He, being the responsible man he was, broke up with Emma and promised to take care of Nancy. But deep down, Nancy knew she was lying.
Eventually, she admitted the truth to Patrick. The pregnancy had been a mistake—a false alarm. By that time, Emma had left town, heartbroken and betrayed. Patrick stayed with Nancy, but their relationship was never the same.
Present Day
“I lied to him,” Nancy whispered, her voice breaking as she stood in front of Amanda. “I trapped Patrick out of spite, and it ruined everything. I thought I buried that chapter of my life, but now… now I see how much damage I caused.”
Amanda looked at her with understanding in her eyes. “Patrick and Emma reconnected after many years. They loved each other until the very end. Emma passed away shortly after Patrick’s accident. She couldn’t bear to lose him.
That’s why I brought the baby to you—I thought she deserved a chance to be loved by someone who cared for Patrick.”
Tears filled Nancy’s eyes as she looked down at the baby, now resting in her arms. She had no way of undoing the harm she’d done, but she could try to make things right. “I can’t change the past,” Nancy said softly, “but I can raise her. I’ll give her all the love I can. It’s the only way to honor both of them.”
Nancy took the baby home and named her Catherine. Over the years, she poured her love into raising her, determined to be the mother she needed. As Catherine grew older, Nancy made a promise to herself. When Catherine turned 16, she would tell her the truth about everything.
When that day came, Nancy expected anger. She thought Catherine would hate her. But instead, Catherine smiled through her tears and hugged Nancy tightly. “You’re my mom. You’ve always been there for me. Nothing will ever change that.”
Nancy wept, feeling a burden lift from her shoulders. In that moment, she knew that Patrick and Emma had forgiven her, and through Catherine, she had found a second chance—one that would redefine her life.
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