Chapter 2 - THE FIRST FITTING
The next afternoon, Rachel took the girls to Blanch Bridal.
She had planned to cancel.
Instead, she needed answers.
The boutique occupied an entire floor of a Fifth Avenue building.
A woman in a cream suit greeted them at the door.
“Betty and Maria?”
The girls nodded.
“Welcome.”
The woman smiled.
Then she looked at Rachel.
Her smile disappeared.
“You're Rachel Monroe.”
Rachel stiffened.
“Nobody calls me that anymore.”
“I know.”
The woman looked uncomfortable.
“My name is Elise. I'm Mr. Harden's personal events director.”
Rachel's stomach tightened.
“Why did Daniel send you?”
“He didn't.”
“Then who did?”
Elise hesitated.
“Amanda.”
Rachel's instincts screamed at her.
“Where is she?”
“She'll be joining us later.”
The girls were already distracted by rows of dresses.
Pink.
White.
Lavender.
Maria gasped.
“Mommy!”
Rachel forced a smile.
“Go look. Stay where I can see you.”
As the twins disappeared behind a rack, Elise lowered her voice.
“I need to ask you something.”
“What?”
“Were you ever engaged to Daniel?”
“No.”
“Did you live with him?”
Rachel said nothing.
Elise nodded as if that confirmed everything.
“Did you leave because of Amanda?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
Rachel looked toward her daughters.
“Because I was pregnant.”
Elise's face changed.
“I thought so.”
Rachel froze.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
Before Rachel could ask another question, the boutique doors opened.
Amanda Sanders walked in.
She was beautiful.
Tall.
Elegant.
Perfectly composed.
The kind of woman who looked as though she had never cried in a grocery store bathroom.
She smiled.
“Rachel.”
Rachel felt something inside her turn cold.
“Amanda.”
Amanda looked toward the twins.
For one second, her expression cracked.
Fear.
Real fear.
Then it disappeared.
“They're beautiful.”
“They're seven.”
“I know.”
“How?”
Amanda smiled faintly.
“I know more than you think.”
Rachel stepped closer.
“What do you know?”
Amanda's eyes sharpened.
“I know Daniel has spent eight years believing you abandoned him.”
Rachel's jaw tightened.
“I didn't.”
“I know.”
Those two words nearly knocked the air from Rachel's lungs.
Amanda continued.
“You weren't the one who disappeared from his life.”
“Then who was?”
Amanda glanced around.
“Not here.”
Rachel followed her into a private dressing room.
Amanda closed the door.
“You need to take your daughters away from Daniel.”
Rachel stared at her.
“You're marrying him.”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you warning me?”
Amanda looked down.
“Because I don't love him.”
Rachel's eyebrows lifted.
Amanda laughed bitterly.
“I never did.”
“Then why marry him?”
“Because someone forced me to.”
“Who?”
Amanda's eyes filled with tears.
“My father.”
Rachel's expression hardened.
“What does your father have to do with Daniel?”
“Everything.”
Before Amanda could continue, the door opened.
A little voice called from outside.
“Mommy?”
Rachel turned.
Maria stood there.
Behind her was a tall man.
Dark suit.
Silver watch.
Cold blue eyes.
Rachel knew him immediately.
Daniel Harden.
He stared at Maria.
Then Betty stepped beside her sister.
Daniel's face went completely white.
He looked at Rachel.
Then at the twins.
Then back at Rachel.
His lips parted.
“Rachel?”
She couldn't move.
Daniel took one step forward.
His eyes never left the girls.
“Who are they?”
Rachel's heart pounded.
She whispered the truth.
“My daughters.”
Daniel stared.
“Both of them?”
Rachel nodded.
His voice dropped to almost nothing.
“Are they mine?”
Rachel closed her eyes.
There was no more hiding.
“Yes.”
Daniel looked as though someone had struck him.
He stepped backward.
And for the first time in eight years, Rachel watched the billionaire who had terrified boardrooms, presidents, and Wall Street traders lose control of his emotions.
May you like
He whispered one word.
“Mine?”
