It was abandonment disguised as courage.

That afternoon, Ryan arrived at the airport with his mother. Mrs. Patricia started shouting before she even reached the private lounge. “Give us the baby back!

That woman has always been a gold digger!”

Emily stood up. Lily was in the lawyer’s arms.

Ryan walked in behind his mother, well dressed, neatly groomed, looking exactly like the respectable man he pretended to be. “Emily, let’s go talk like adults,” he said.

“You’re making a national spectacle of yourself.”