“Those texts?” I asked, gesturing at her phone. “They prove Derek was calling Jack out on his bullshit months ago. They prove Derek was defending me when my own husband was treating me like garbage. If anything, they make me trust Derek more, not less.”
I stood up, gathering my purse. I pursed my lips and said, “Here’s what’s going to happen, Olivia. You’re going to go back to Jack and tell him this didn’t work. That I’m not stupid enough to fall for his manipulation. And then you’re both going to prepare for what comes next.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Me winning,” I said calmly. “Derek winning with you and Jack losing everything you tried to take from me.”
I walked out of that cafe with my head held high and spine straight. I was satisfied with the shocked expression on her face. For now.
But by the time I reached Derek’s penthouse, the doubt had crept back in.
Not because I believed Olivia. I didn’t. She was Jack’s puppet, playing whatever game he orchestrated. But the texts were real. I had seen Derek’s number, seen the timestamps.
Has Derek been planning this? Had he been waiting for my marriage to fail? Or had he just been a friend watching someone he cared about suffer, unable to stay silent anymore?
I didn’t know.
I opened the penthouse door quietly, set down my purse and keys, and heard Derek’s voice from the living room.
“That’s it! Come on, Lily. You can do it. Yes! Come to Daddy. Come to me.”
I rounded the corner and froze.
Derek was crouched on the floor about six feet away from Lily, who was standing.
Standing, not holding onto anything, with her little fists clenched and a look of intense concentration on her face.
Oh, my God…
“Come on, baby girl,” Derek coaxed, his voice soft and encouraging. “Just one step. You’ve got this.”
And then Lily took a step.
One wobbly, uncertain step toward Derek, her arms outstretched for balance.
My hand flew to my mouth.
“Yes! That’s my girl!” Derek’s face lit up with such pure joy and pride that my eyes immediately filled with tears. “One more. Come on, Lily. You can do it.”
Lily took another step. Then another. Three steps total before she pitched forward, and Derek caught her, sweeping her up into his arms with a whoop of triumph.
“You did it! You walked! Oh my God, you walked!” He spun her around gently, and Lily shrieked with laughter, grabbing at his hair. “Wait until your mom sees?—”
He turned and saw me standing there, tears streaming down my face, and his expression shifted immediately to concern.
“Paige? What’s wrong? Are you—” He stopped as understanding dawned. “Oh. Did you see? Did you see her walk?”
28
HER FIRST STEPS
DEREK
Paige nodded, making me smile.
“Her first steps,” I said, glancing between Paige and the tiny girl wobbling in my arms. Shit. Guilt twisted in my stomach. “I’m sorry… I should’ve waited. I should’ve called you so you could?—”
She was already walking toward us, her eyes bright and legs unsteady. “No. No, it’s perfect,” she said, breathless. “She walked to you.”
