“Not yet.” The quiet certainty was worse than shouting.

“Sophia will never sign the acknowledgment,” my father said.

“She already did.”

“It’s forged.”

A long silence. Then Daniel laughed softly. “Rebecca told you.” Neither of us moved. He knew. In the dark, Rebecca’s face changed — for the first time since I’d met her, she looked afraid.

“She always becomes sentimental at the wrong moment,” Daniel said. “Leave my daughter out of this,” my father answered.