Aria's POV
I'm running through the lobby when my phone rings. Maya's name flashes on the screen.
"Not now," I gasp, but I answer anyway. "Maya, I can't talk—"
"Aria, you need to get to Brooklyn Children's Hospital. Right now." Maya's voice is shaking. "It's Lily."
The world stops spinning.
"What happened?" I'm already changing direction, running for the street. "Maya, what happened to my baby?"
"She collapsed at the playground. They think it's her heart." Maya's crying. "They're running tests but they need your permission for everything. Aria, they're saying she might need surgery—"
I can't hear the rest. My baby. My little girl. The only good thing in my entire life.
A cab screeches to a stop when I wave frantically. "Brooklyn Children's Hospital! Please hurry!"
My hands won't stop shaking as I dial the hospital. They transfer me three times before I reach someone who can tell me anything.
"Mrs. Kane?" A doctor's voice, calm and professional. "Your daughter is stable right now, but we've discovered a congenital heart defect. It's serious. We need to operate within the next forty-eight hours."
"Operate?" I can't breathe. "She's four years old. She's just a baby."
"I know this is scary. But the good news is this is a procedure we've done many times. The success rate is very high. However, there's something we need to discuss regarding the surgery."
"Anything. I'll do anything."
"In cases like this, we prefer to have genetic information from both biological parents. It helps us anticipate any complications during surgery." The doctor pauses. "Is Lily's father available to provide a medical history?"
Lily's father. Dominic. Who doesn't know she exists.
"He's... not available," I manage to say.
"I understand this is complicated. But Mrs. Kane, if there's any way to contact him, now would be the time. A simple DNA test and medical questionnaire could save your daughter's life."
The cab pulls up to the hospital. I throw money at the driver and run inside.
Room 302. Third floor. I take the stairs two at a time.
When I burst through the door, Maya is sitting beside a hospital bed. And in that bed is my beautiful Lily, so small and pale, hooked up to machines that beep and flash.
"Mama!" Lily's voice is weak but she's smiling. "I had an adventure!"
I collapse beside her bed, grabbing her tiny hand. "Baby girl, you scared me so much."
"The doctor says I have a broken heart. But don't worry, Mama. They're going to fix it!" Lily touches my face. "Why are you crying? The doctor said I'm going to be okay."
"These are happy tears," I lie, kissing her forehead. "Just happy tears."
But they're not happy tears. They're terrified tears. Because what if she's not okay? What if something goes wrong? What if I lose her?
Maya pulls me aside while a nurse checks Lily's vitals.
"They really need Dominic's medical information," Maya whispers. "Aria, you have to tell him. Not for you. For Lily."
"I can't. If he finds out about her now, he'll think I was hiding her to hurt him. He'll try to take her away—"
"He won't take her anywhere if she doesn't survive the surgery!" Maya grabs my shoulders. "Stop thinking about yourself for one second and think about your daughter! She needs her father's genetic history! You have to call him!"
She's right. I know she's right. But the thought of hearing Dominic's voice again, of admitting I've hidden his daughter for four years...
My phone buzzes. Unknown number again:
"By now you should be at the hospital. And by now, Dominic should know where to find you. Yes, Aria. I told him. I told him about Lily. He's on his way. You have about 15 minutes to decide what you're going to say when he walks through that door and sees his daughter for the first time. Choose your words carefully. Your entire future depends on it."
No. No, no, no.
"Maya," I grab her arm. "We need to leave. Right now. We need to take Lily and go—"
"Go where? She needs surgery, Aria! She's hooked up to machines!"
"I'll take her to another hospital. We'll disappear. We'll—"
The door opens.
And there he is. Dominic. Standing in the doorway, breathing hard like he ran up the stairs. His eyes scan the room—me, Maya, the hospital bed—and then they land on Lily.
He goes completely still.
Lily looks up from her iPad. She sees the tall man in the doorway and tilts her head, curious.
"Mama? Who's that?"
I can't speak. Can't move. Can't think.
Dominic takes a step closer. His eyes never leave Lily's face. He's seeing it—the black hair, the green eyes, the shape of her nose. His features on her face.
"She's mine," he whispers. "That's my daughter."
Lily frowns. "I don't have a daddy. Mama said he's very busy."
Something breaks in Dominic's expression. He looks at me, and I see everything in his eyes—shock, anger, betrayal, but underneath it all, wonder.
"How?" His voice cracks. "They said she died. The doctors said our baby died."
"She almost did," I say quietly. "But she didn't. She survived. And I couldn't tell you because—"
"Because what, Aria? Because you wanted to punish me? Because you wanted to keep her from me?"
"Because you were relieved when you thought she was dead!" The words explode out of me. "Because you looked happy that I miscarried! Because you didn't want her, Dominic! You never wanted her!"
"I didn't know she was mine!" He's shouting now. "You heard what I said earlier! I thought—"
"And now you know the truth! She IS yours! She's been yours this whole time! And you still don't deserve her!"
"Mama, stop yelling." Lily's small voice cuts through our argument. "You're scaring me."
We both freeze. Lily's heart monitor is beeping faster. The nurse comes rushing in.
"I need you both to leave," she says firmly. "You're upsetting the patient."
"I'm not going anywhere," Dominic says. "That's my daughter."
"Sir, if you don't calm down, I'll call security—"
"Everyone STOP!" Maya's voice silences the room. "Lily needs surgery in two days. She needs both her parents to cooperate. So both of you need to put your drama aside and focus on your daughter. Can you do that?"
Dominic and I stare at each other. The room is silent except for the beeping of machines.
Finally, Dominic speaks: "I'll do whatever she needs. Medical history. DNA test. Blood transfusion. Anything."
"Good," the nurse says. "Then I need you to come with me to fill out some paperwork."
Dominic doesn't move. He's still staring at Lily like he can't believe she's real.
"Hi," Lily says shyly. "Are you my daddy?"
Dominic's eyes fill with tears. "Yes. I'm your daddy."
"Where have you been?"
"I didn't know about you. But I'm here now. And I'm never leaving again."
He's making promises he can't keep. Promises that will break our daughter's heart just like he broke mine.
But before I can say anything, my phone buzzes with a photo.
It's from the mystery number. The image makes my blood run cold.
It's a picture of Lily. At the playground. From this morning. Before she collapsed.
And in the background, partially hidden behind a tree, is a figure. A woman. She's watching Lily with a smile on her face.
I zoom in on her face and my heart stops.
It's my mother. Elena.
The text below says:
"Your daughter's 'heart defect' isn't natural, Aria. Someone's been slowly poisoning her. Someone who wanted to get rid of the evidence of your marriage. Someone who's been in your daughter's life this whole time. You trust the wrong people. And now Lily is paying the price. You have 48 hours before the surgery. Find out who's been poisoning her before they finish the job on the operating table. Trust no one. Not even him."
I look up at Dominic. He's kneeling beside Lily's bed, holding her hand, whispering something that makes her giggle.
He looks like a devoted father. Like a man who would never hurt his daughter.
But I thought my mother loved me too.
And according to this message, she's the one trying to kill my baby.