Catching her husband with her best friend, Evelyn silently left for another city without mentioning her pregnancy. But five years later, they met again.
“Are you absolutely certain?” Evelyn gripped the phone tightly, forcing her voice to stay calm.
“Mrs. Evelyn Carter, the results are positive. Congratulations, you’re pregnantabout six weeks along.”
She thanked the doctor and hung up. The world around her froze. Six weeks. Exactly how much time had passed since that evening she came home early and spotted an unfamiliar handbag in the hallwaythe same one she had gifted to Kate for her birthday.
Evelyn sank onto the chair by the window. Snow fell outside, blanketing Manchester in white, erasing every trace. How she wished memories could be wiped away just as easily.
Her phone rang again. James. The third time in an hour.
“Evelyn, where are you? We were supposed to meet after work.”
“Sorry, got held up,” she said, keeping her tone steady. “Dont wait for me, Ive got loads to do.”
“Everything alright? You sound off.”
“Fine. Just tired.”
Setting the phone down, she glanced at the suitcase shed packed that morning. Five years of marriage. Five years ending now. And a new life growing inside her.
Five Years Later
“Mummy, look how pretty!” Four-year-old Sophia pressed her nose against the toy shop window, gazing at a doll in a lavish gown.
“Very pretty,” Evelyn smiled, adjusting her daughters woolly hat. “But were latewe need to go.”
“Where are we going?” The little girl reluctantly pulled away and slipped her hand into her mothers.
“To see Aunt Margaret. Shes expecting us.”
Manchester greeted them with a frosty January morning. Evelyn hadnt been back in five yearsfive years spent building a new life far from the past. Now she had returnedher aunt, the only family whod stood by her, had been hospitalised.
“Sophie, carefuldont run.” Evelyn tightened her grip as they stepped into the marble-floored lobby of a newly opened business centre. They needed to cut through to reach the bus stop on the other side.
The polished floor gleamed under chandelier light. Grand music played; crowds gathered for an opening ceremony.
“Evelyn?”
She froze at the voice behind herone she hadnt heard in five years but would recognise among thousands. Slowly, she turned.
“James.”
He looked almost unchangedthe same attentive grey eyes, the same faint silver at his temples. Only the lines around his eyes had deepened.
“Didnt expect to see you here.” His gaze fixed on her as if she were a ghost. “Youcame back?”
“Just passing through,” she said, feeling Sophia press against her leg. “Briefly.”
His eyes dropped to the little girl, and Evelyn watched his face shiftthe pupils dilating. Sophia was his mirror imagethe same grey eyes, the same curve of the lips, even the dimple when she smiled.
“And this is?”
“My daughter,” Evelyn said quickly. “Sophia.”
A heavy silence settled between them.
“There you are!” A tall, slender woman with auburn hair approached. “Everyones looking for you. Ohhello.” She glanced curiously at Evelyn.
“Claire, this is Evelynan old friend,” James said slowly, still staring at Sophia. “Evelyn, this is Claire, my wife.”
“Lovely to meet you,” Evelyn forced a smile. “We should be going.”
“Wait.” James stepped forward. “How can I reach you?”
“You cant.” She turned and walked briskly away, leading Sophia by the hand.
In the taxi, the little girl nestled close.
“Mummy, who was that?”
“Just someone I used to know, sweetheart. A long time ago.”
Aunt Margarets flat was as cosy as ever, just like five years ago when Evelyn had arrived from London with a single suitcase and a broken heart.
“You havent changed a bit,” Aunt Margaret smiled, stroking Sophias hair. “But this little ladys grown so muchonly in photos for me. How are you, really?”
“Im fine,” Evelyn helped her aunt into the armchair. “Dont worry, the doctor said its nothing seriousjust rest and medication.”
“Thats not what I meant.” Her aunt studied her. “Hows your heart?”
Evelyn looked away.
“Auntie Margaret thats all in the past.”
“Have you seen him?”
“Already did. At that new business centre. Fancy bumping into someone in a city of half a million on my first day back.”
“Fate,” her aunt sighed. “He looked for you, you know.”
“What?” Evelyn turned sharply.
“Came by a month after you left. Then a few more times. I told him I didnt know where you were.”
“Thank you,” Evelyn squeezed her aunts hand. “That was the right thing.”
“His mum even called last year. Helen always treated you like a daughter.”
Evelyn exhaled. Her mother-in-law had been kind. Had she ever known what happened between James and Kate?
“Sophie looks just like him,” her aunt continued, watching the little girl play in the corner. “Does he suspect?”
“I think so. But it changes nothing.”
The next morning, an unknown number flashed on Evelyns phone.
“Evelyn? Its Helen.”
Her former mother-in-laws voice made her chest tighten.
“Good morning,” she stepped onto the balcony so as not to wake Sophia.
“James said he saw you yesterday. I could I come over? We need to talk.”
An hour later, they sat at the kitchen table. Sophia still slept.
“Is she really Jamess?” Helen asked outright.
Evelyn nodded.
“Why didnt you say anything?” No accusationjust pain in her voice. “You kept a father from his child. Kept a grandmother from her granddaughter.”
“He did that himself,” Evelyn said quietly. “When he brought my best friend into our home.”
Helen lowered her eyes.
“I know. He told me everything when you disappeared. He wasnt himself. But Evelyn it was one mistake.”
“One that changed everything.”
“He only remarried two years ago. Spent years searching for you, hoping youd come back. Then he met Claire. Shes a good woman, but they cant have children.”
Evelyn felt a lump rise in her throat.
“Im sorry, but thats not my problem.”
“And what about Sophia? Doesnt she deserve a father?”
Just then, a sleepy little girl appeared in the doorway.
“Mummy, Im awake.”
Helen went still, staring at her granddaughter with wide eyes.
“How long will you stay in the city?” Paul asked later, helping Evelyn sort through catalogues at the publishing house where she worked in Manchester. Theyd met during her time in London and agreed to travel together when business brought them both north.
“A week, maybe two,” she said, shuffling papers. “Once Aunt Margarets better, well go straight back.”
“Shame,” he smiled. “I thought you seemed happy here.”
“I was. Thats the past.”
Her phone buzzedanother unknown number.
“Evelyn, its James. Dont hang up, please.”
She stilled, pressing a hand to her eyes.
“How did you get this number?”
“Your aunt gave it to me. Im sorry to bother you, but we need to talk. Its important.”
“Weve nothing to say.”
“Is Sophia my daughter?”
Evelyn gripped the phone until her fingers whitened.
“I need to know the truth,” he continued when she didnt answer. “I have a right to know.”
“And I had a right to loyalty. To trust. To respect,” her voice trembled. “But no one cared about that, did they?”
Silence stretched on the other end.
When they met at a quiet café, James sat across from her, hands on the table.
“Thank you for coming.”
“I havent got long,” she checked her watch. “Sophias with Aunt Margaret.”
“I wont skirt around it,” he said. “I want to be part of my daughters life.”
“Why? You have a wife. A life.”
“Claire cant have children,” he met her eyes directly. “But thats not the point. Sophias mine. I have a right to be there for her.”
“And I had a right to know what happened in my home when I wasnt there,” Evelyn took a steadying breath. “When did you last see Kate?”
“Five years ago. That night.”
“Really? I thought what you had was serious.”
James shook his head.
“It was a mistake. The biggest of my life. Office party, too much champagne Im not making excuses, but there were no feelings, no aftermath. Kate called the next day, said youd seen everything and left.”
“And you rushed to comfort her
