“I thought you weren’t going to show up,” Tanya said as soon as I walked in.

“Just tell me what do you want?” I replied, studying her. Memories of her flooded back, some sharp, others faded, but one thing stood out: Tanya had completely upended my life.

If not for her, maybe Jace and I would still be together. Maybe we’d even have a child by now, crawling around our home.

“Have you been to Desmond’s parents’ house recently? Seen the child?” she asked, catching me off guard.

The child. A pawn in her games. She hadn’t even looked back after giving birth, hadn’t visited once in over a year. Now she wanted to know about him?

“I have. The boy is doing well,” I said.

She nodded and smiled faintly. “See? He’s fine without a mother.”