The stock fluctuations were a minor annoyance for Adrian. He was a master of
06:39
06:39
the corporate world, and it would take more than a social media smear campai- gn to do any real damage. But I could see the exhaustion etched on his face. The media was relentless, hounding him everywhere. Worse, there had been several instances of paparazzi getting too close to Lily’s school.
Julian, to his credit, seemed to be ensuring his “daughter” was never in any real danger from the frenzy he’d created, but his constant attempts to see her, to try and spirit her away, were taking a toll on all of us.
“Let’s just do a paternity test,” I said to Adrian one evening. “Let’s end this chara- de for good.” I had resisted the idea, wanting to shield Lily from the ugliness of it all. What child wants to see their parents prove their legitimacy? And to be irref- utable, it would have to be a blood test.
As I was wrestling with the decision, Lily herself came to me. “Mommy,” she said, her small face serious, “I don’t like that mean man. I want to do the test. I want to protect you and Daddy.”
My heart swelled with love. I pulled her into my arms and covered her face with
kisses.
Chapter 2
the corporate world, and it would take more than a social media smear campai gn to do any real damage. But I could see the exhaustion etched on his face.
The media was relentless, hounding him everywhere. Worse, there had been several instances of paparazzi getting too close to Lily’s school
Julian, to his credit, seemed to be ensuring his “daughter” was never in any real danger from the frenzy he’d created, but his constant attempts to
to try
and spirit her away, were taking a toll on all of us.
“Let’s just do a paternity test,” I said to Adrian one evening. “Let’s end this chara de for good.” I had resisted the idea, wanting to shield Lily from the ugliness of it
all. What child wants to see their parents prove their legitimacy? And to be irref
utable, it would have to be a blood test.
As I was wrestling with the decision, Lily herself came to me. “Mommy,” she
said, her small face serious, “I don’t like that mean man. I want to do the test. I
want to protect you and Daddy.”
My heart swelled with love. I pulled her into my arms and covered her face with
kisses.
