“I figured it would be… polite to invite you.”

For a moment she wondered if she had heard him wrong.

Invite her.

To his wedding.

Six months after their divorce.

Six months after he walked away from their unborn child.

A tired laugh escaped her.

“Daniel,” she said quietly, “I just gave birth.”

There was silence.

Then his voice cooled.

“Fine. I just thought you should know.”

Click.

The call ended.

Olivia stared up at the ceiling.

Her chest ached in a dull, familiar way.

Not the sharp sting of betrayal anymore. That pain had burned itself out long ago.

This feeling was heavier.

Disappointment.

Regret.

The shadow of a life that could have been.

Margaret leaned forward.

“What did he want?”

Olivia forced a faint smile.

“He invited me to his wedding.”

Margaret scoffed.

“The audacity of that man.”

Olivia said nothing.

Her gaze drifted back to the bassinet.

You’re better off without him, she told herself.

Thirty quiet minutes passed.

The hallway outside remained calm. Nurses spoke softly at their station while carts rolled gently across polished floors.

Olivia had almost drifted off to sleep when the door suddenly burst open.

The loud bang startled everyone.

Margaret jumped up.

A nurse gasped.

And Daniel Hayes rushed inside like someone escaping disaster.

He looked nothing like the confident executive Olivia remembered.

His hair was disheveled.

His tie hung loose.

His face was pale.

And his eyes were wide with panic.

“Where is she?” he demanded.

Olivia pushed herself upright.

“Daniel, you can’t just—”

But he wasn’t listening.

He had already crossed the room.

He stopped beside the bassinet.

And then he froze.

The world seemed to pause.

Daniel stared down at the baby.

His breathing slowed.

His hands trembled.

When he finally spoke, his voice was barely a whisper.

“She… looks exactly like me.”

The room went silent.

Olivia felt her pulse pounding in her ears.

The baby stirred softly in her sleep.

Daniel studied every tiny detail.

The dark hair.

The small nose.

And the faint dimple in her chin.

A dimple Daniel had inherited from his father.

His hand lifted slightly, as if he wanted to touch her—but he stopped.

“What are you doing here?” Olivia snapped.

Daniel slowly turned.

The panic in his eyes hadn’t faded.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was a girl?”

Olivia stared at him.

Then she laughed.

Not kindly.

Not happily.

Just bitter disbelief.

“Why would I tell you anything?” she said. “You said the baby wasn’t yours.”