Vivica nodded. “Exactly. Otherwise, why would they only start looking for her now, after all these years?”
Joseph didn’t reply, but after a moment’s thought, he had to admit her reasoning was sound. He understood what was tearing her apart. If she was that baby, it meant she had been thrown away, unloved and unwanted. The idea of meeting her biological parents now—even as a pretense—was almost unbearable.
And yet, a darker thought surfaced. The couple had suffered so terribly; it was as if fate had delivered its own cruel justice. A part of her was morbidly curious to witness their miserable state, to see the consequences of their actions and perhaps find some release for her own deep-seated anger.
Before they could process it further, a knock came at the door. Laura entered with Chaim, who was fresh from his bath.
“Uncle Joseph! Mommy! What are you hiding in here for?” Chaim asked curiously. “Are you playing a game without me?”
Knowing Vivica was in no state to deal with a child right now, Joseph stood up. “I’ll take Chaim to bed. You take some more time to think.”
“Okay.”
Joseph walked over and scooped Chaim into his arms. “Come on, buddy. I’ll tell you a story.”
“What about Mommy? Are you going to sleep with Mommy tonight, too?”
“Of course. I’m going to sleep with Mommy every night from now on.”
“Yay! I feel so happy, like I have a real mom and dad.”
Joseph squeezed his son’s little cheek. As they left the room, he added softly, “Chaim, you do have a real mom and dad.”
Alone in the lounge, Vivica pulled up her phone’s contact list and scrolled to a name she had long since blocked: Evelyn. She thought about calling, about asking her once more where exactly she had been found, but her finger hovered over the number, and she couldn't bring herself to press it.
VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty