On my wedding day, my husband and my adopted stepsister proudly held their newborn twins and announced it to me.

“She didn’t tell you?” she whispered.

Part 2
The entire ballroom suddenly felt colder.

Derek frowned. “Tell me what?”

Lena tightened her grip on the blanket wrapped around one of the babies. For the first time all evening, fear appeared on her face.

I folded the divorce papers carefully and handed them back.

“Maybe we should discuss this privately,” I suggested.

“No,” Derek snapped immediately. “You don’t get to control the situation.”

I nodded once. “All right.”

Evelyn approached slowly, like someone walking across thin ice. “Lena,” she asked quietly, “where did those children come from?”

A sharp gasp spread through the guests.

Lena flushed red. “I gave birth to them.”

“Did you?” Evelyn asked softly.

Derek stepped protectively in front of her. “Mother, stop.”

But Evelyn wasn’t looking at him anymore.

She was staring at me.

Horror and guilt battled in her expression.