I could have lied. I could have walked away and left him haunted. But after four years of silence, I was done hiding.
“Yes,” I said steadily. “He’s yours.”
Emily gasped, the sound sharp enough to cut through the market noise. People began to slow, watching. Mark’s hands shook; disbelief contorted his face.
“You left me,” I said quietly. “I found out after you were gone. I didn’t tell you because you’d already made your choice. Why would I drag a child into that chaos?”
Emily’s eyes filled with tears. She yanked her hand from his. “You knew? You had a baby with her and never told me?” Her voice broke, echoing through the crowd.
Mark reached toward Jacob, but I stepped back. “Don’t,” I said sharply. “You don’t get to play father now. He doesn’t know you. He doesn’t need you.”
Jacob tugged at my coat, confused. “Mommy?”
I knelt, kissed his forehead. “It’s okay, sweetheart.”
