Chapter 2

I held back my tears and patted her back. "All right. We only need each other."

During that first week, Lillian and I ran along the beach and built sandcastles until she'd had enough.

Without Darian, even the air felt lighter and more peaceful.

Maya clearly had no intention of leaving me alone. She kept sending photos and videos to needle me.

One photo showed Darian in an apron, cooking for her at the stove.

One video showed Darian lying beside Sean, gently patting his back until he fell asleep.

In the latest video, Maya asked a question she clearly wanted me to hear. "Darian, Sean says he wants a family portrait with you as his dad. Should we go take one tomorrow?"

Off camera, Darian answered tenderly, "Of course we can."

Five minutes later, Maya sent a voice note. "Serena, Darian only has eyes for me now. I'm the only woman he loves. Take the hint. Let him go and stop using your child to hold on to him."

Once, hearing that would have left me sobbing. It would have destroyed me.

Now I felt nothing.

What she didn't know was that I was divorcing Darian as soon as Lillian and I got back from this trip.

The next day, the doorbell to our hotel room rang.

The moment I opened the door, Lillian and I both froze.

Darian stood there with shopping bags in his hands, looking as though he'd come straight from the airport. "Lillian, Daddy brought you the doll you love, the one they don't make anymore! And Serena, this is the bag you've wanted for ages."

He held out the gifts, his eyes full of remorse as he tried to win us over. "I'm sorry Daddy's late. I promise I'm not leaving again. I'm staying here with you."

Lillian hid behind my leg and didn't reach for anything.

Just as the silence grew awkward, Darian's phone rang.

It was his secretary. An urgent document had arrived from his wife, and he needed to sign it in person.

That was the divorce agreement I'd had my lawyer send.

Darian hung up and turned to me nervously. "Hey, Serena, what did you send me? You didn't send me divorce papers, did you?"

Seeing how nervous he was, I wanted nothing more than to say yes.

But I didn't want to spoil a rare good day for my daughter.

I swallowed my contempt and kept my voice even. "You'll see when you get home."

We'd be strangers once this trip was over anyway. He didn't need an answer.

Darian let out a breath. "I'm never divorcing you, honey. I want to love you and our daughter for the rest of my life."

He turned to Lillian, still trying to win her over. "By the way, Lillian, haven't you always wanted to ride a jet ski? Daddy will take you tomorrow. Or would you two like a party on the water? I can arrange anything you like!"

He looked so sincere. Anyone would have thought he was the perfect husband and father.

I looked down and saw the conflict in Lillian's eyes. She had said she didn't want a father, but she was still a five-year-old girl who longed for her dad's love.

A dull ache spread through my chest. I pushed it aside and nodded at him. "Fine. Set it up."

I only hoped that this time he wouldn't let us down again.

With my permission, he happily went off to call the yacht club.

Lillian stood on tiptoe and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek. "Mom, you're the best."

Her smile lifted most of the gloom hanging over me, and I found myself smiling back.

That night, once Lillian was asleep in her little bed, Darian came out of the shower.

He pulled me in the way he always had and bent to kiss me.

But the moment I thought about those same arms going around Maya, my stomach turned.

I turned my head away without thinking, refusing to be touched.

Darian noticed and sighed. "Sweetheart, I know you're both still angry with me.

"But you know I'm the only friend Maya has. I can't just leave her to deal with everything alone."

He gave me his word. "Don't worry. I've already told her to stop coming to me for everything.

"All I want now is for you and Lillian to be happy. All right?"

I listened, unsure what to say.

I'd heard that speech more times than I could count.

He'd said the same thing last time. He'd promised never to abandon us for Maya or make Lillian feel insecure again.

But every time Maya called, he left us behind without a second thought. All we were left with was endless disappointment and another long wait.

I looked at him calmly and said, "Darian, there's something I want to tell you."