Evidence

Jake's POV

I could go there right now. Knock on her door. Demand to see Alex. Get a DNA sample.

A strand of hair. A used cup. Anything.

But that felt too aggressive. Too invasive.

I wasn't that person. At least, I didn't want to be that person.

My phone buzzed with a text from Miguel.

*"Got the hospital records. You're not going to like this."*

My heart stopped.

*"What did you find?"*

*"Alex Reed was born April 15th, eight years ago. Not seven like Emma told you. She lied about his age."*

I knew it. I knew she had been lying.

*"What else?"*

*"The birth certificate lists the father as 'unknown.' But Jake... there's something else. Something weird."*

*"What?"*

My phone rang. Miguel calling instead of texting.

"You need to hear this," he said when I answered. "I called in a favor with a friend who works at the hospital. She pulled Emma's visitor logs from when Alex was born."

"And?"

"Emma had two visitors during her hospital stay. Sarah Martinez—that's her friend who came