His children, beyond question, confirmed when they were two months old.

And Beatrice had known it.

And she had said nothing.

For five years.

“Why?” Alex whispered, devastated in a way that went beyond anger.

Beatrice took a long time to answer.

“Because by the time I knew for certain,” she said finally, “I had already done too much damage.

If I told you the truth then, you would have hated me forever.