We Ran From Our Babies' Fathers, Then One Toddler Went Viral novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: One Million Dollars to Disappear

Preston's assistant called him out of the hall before I could say a word.

He looked at me, then at his mother.

"Ten minutes," he said. "Mother, be kind."

"I'm always kind, darling."

The door shut behind him.

Bridget took Max and Poppy straight to the terrace, where Jack's hour was starting, with a look back at me that said she'd stay in earshot.

I stayed in the hall.

Preston's mother turned to face me for the first time.

She looked at my sandals, my paint-stained fingers and my knotted hair, and she took her time about it.

"You must be Hannah," she said. "My son tells me you make little pictures for children's books."

"I illustrate them."

"How sweet. And before that you carried trays at a charity dinner."

"I coordinated the servers."

"Of course you did."

She opened her handbag and took out a leather folder.

Inside lay a check and one typed page.

The check was already made out to me.

It had seven digits.

"This is for your trouble," she said. "One million dollars. You've raised the girl for three years without help, and I would like you to be comfortable."

I didn't take it.

"The page is simple. It says the child's father is unknown and you will make no claim on my family, now or ever."

"The child's father is standing in the next room."

"He's a young man with a kind heart and a great deal of money, and women see him coming." She smiled, a thin, practiced smile. "You were clever to disappear. That kept the price up."

The housekeeper, who had been standing by the door, studied the marble floor.

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