My daughter had other plans.

That morning, I went into labor earlier than expected.

By late afternoon, while Conrad was exchanging vows in front of family, investors, and business associates, I was holding our daughter for the first time.

I named her Maisy.

She had a tiny nose, dark hair, and fingers that wrapped around mine with surprising strength.

Looking at her changed something inside me.

For months, my life had revolved around Conrad’s divorce, Conrad’s company, Conrad’s lawyers, and Conrad’s demands.

Suddenly none of those things felt important.

Maisy needed a mother who could give her stability.

That was what mattered.

Less than an hour later, my hospital door opened.

The NDA

Conrad stepped closer.

“There’s been a complication with the Langford agreement.”

I looked down at Maisy.

“Is that what you came here to discuss?”

Felicity frowned.

“What exactly is going on?”

Conrad ignored her and opened the leather folder.

“It’s a confidentiality agreement. Nothing more. It protects everyone involved while we figure out the situation privately.”

I stared at him.

“You left your wedding reception to bring your former wife an NDA less than an hour after she gave birth?”

His expression hardened.

“This affects more people than just you and me.”

There it was.

The company.

The investors.

His reputation.

Everything except the newborn daughter lying against my chest.

Felicity looked at Maisy again.

Then she turned toward Conrad.

“You told me there was no child.”

Conrad finally faced her.

“I only learned about the pregnancy recently.”

Her expression changed.

“How recently?”

He didn’t answer.

That silence was enough.

He Wanted One Signature

Conrad placed the agreement beside my bed.

“Sign it tonight. We can discuss everything else later.”

I didn’t touch the papers.

“What happens if I sign?”

“The investment moves forward. We avoid unnecessary attention. Then we’ll work out a private arrangement concerning the baby.”

The baby.

Not his daughter.

The baby.

I looked at him for several seconds.

He hadn’t asked whether Maisy was healthy.

He hadn’t asked how I was feeling.

He hadn’t even asked whether he could see her.

He wanted my signature.

I reached for the nurse call button.

Conrad noticed.

“Taryn, don’t turn this into something it doesn’t need to be.”

I pressed it.

A nurse entered moments later.

“Can I help you?”

I kept my voice steady.

“I’d like my visitors to leave. My former husband is asking me to sign legal documents, and I won’t discuss them without my attorney.”

Conrad’s face tightened.

Then someone appeared in the doorway behind the nurse.

Camille Prescott.

She carried a charcoal-gray briefcase.

For the first time since Conrad entered the room, I felt myself relax.

The Attorney He Didn’t Expect to See

Conrad stared at her.

“What are you doing here?”

Camille walked inside.

“Representing my client.”

She glanced at the NDA.

“I’m assuming that’s the same agreement your legal team sent to my office this morning.”

Conrad lowered his voice.

“This is a personal matter.”

Camille shook her head.

“It stopped being purely personal when you connected Taryn’s silence and signature to a corporate transaction.”

Felicity looked confused.

“What does Taryn have to do with my father’s investment?”

Camille looked at me.

I nodded.

So she explained.

My minority ownership interest remained valid.

More importantly, the rights attached to my original investment had never been properly terminated.

Under the company’s governing documents, the proposed restructuring could not proceed in its current form without my authorization.

I had declined to give it.

Conrad stared at me.

“You can’t stop this.”

Camille answered before I could.

“She already has.”

But That Wasn’t His Biggest Problem

Camille opened her briefcase.

She removed a second folder.

The financial documents I had discovered had already been examined by independent professionals.

There were enough inconsistencies to raise serious questions.

The board had been notified.

The transaction would remain paused while the relevant records were reviewed.

Camille didn’t make dramatic accusations.

She didn’t need to.

Conrad would now have to explain the numbers himself.

Felicity turned toward him.

“You told Dad everything had been cleared.”

“It was supposed to be.”

Her voice sharpened.

“You also told me Taryn had nothing to do with the company anymore.”

Conrad looked at me as though I had somehow betrayed him.

That was when I realized I wasn’t angry anymore.

I was simply finished.