The ground seemed to shift beneath me. I turned to Nadine, who was backing away, her face as pale as a ghost. Then, without warning, she bolted from the church.
“Nadine!” I shouted, but she didn’t stop.
The whispers of the congregation filled the air as I stood frozen, trying to process what I had just heard. Brittany wasn’t mine? It couldn’t be true. It didn’t make sense.
Father Gabriel murmured something about his brother and how Brittany looked just like him as a baby, but I couldn’t focus on his words. All I could think about was Nadine’s escape and the horrifying truth that lingered in the air.
I chased after her, my mind racing in every direction. When I got home, I found her frantically packing a suitcase in our bedroom.
“You’re not leaving,” I said, my voice cold and unfamiliar. “Not until you tell me the truth.”
Nadine didn’t turn to face me as she shoved clothes into the suitcase. “Daniel, I—”
“Is Brittany not mine?” I demanded, my voice breaking with anger and betrayal.
She stopped, hands trembling. Slowly, she turned to me, eyes red and filled with tears. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I never meant for you to find out like this.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “This way?” I said bitterly. “How was I supposed to find out? At her graduation?”
Nadine sobbed, covering her face. “It was a mistake, Daniel. I… I was lonely, and Matthew—”
“You’re telling me Brittany is Matthew’s?” I asked, disbelief filling my voice.
She nodded, the weight of guilt evident. “I didn’t know how to tell you. I never wanted to hurt you.”
“You’ve already destroyed me,” I whispered, feeling the pain wash over me.
There was nothing left to say. Nadine had betrayed me, and the life we had built was based on a lie. She removed her ring and placed it on the nightstand.
“What about Brittany?” I asked, my voice strained. “Are you leaving her too?”
She hesitated, eyes filled with regret. “I don’t know if I’m cut out to be a mother. I’m sorry, Daniel. I just… don’t know what to do anymore.”
And just like that, she was gone.
That night, the house felt empty. I sat in silence, numb, while Brittany slept upstairs. Father Gabriel’s words echoed in my mind. “She’s my brother’s.” But no matter the truth, I couldn’t just walk away from Brittany.
She wasn’t my blood, but I had been there for every moment of her short life. I was her father in every way that mattered.
I went upstairs and sat by her crib, watching her sleep. “You’re mine,” I whispered, tears filling my eyes. “No matter what, you’ll always be mine.”
In that moment, I understood that love wasn’t about biology; it was about being present, showing up, and giving everything you have. Brittany needed me, and I wasn’t going to abandon her.
This was my new path, and I was determined to embrace it.