She tiptoed into Sam’s room and gently lifted his foot. She stared at the birthmark. Her breath caught in her throat.
In the morning, she confronted Eric.
His eyes filled with shame. He sat down, head in his hands.
Then, finally, the truth spilled out.
A Secret Affair… and a Child
Years ago, during a dark time in their marriage—when Ella was going through her most painful round of IVF—Eric had a one-night affair with a woman he met at a bar.
“It meant nothing,” he insisted. “It was a mistake. I was scared. Lost. I didn’t even know she was pregnant. I had no idea.”
But somehow, fate had brought Sam into their lives. The same child who now called Ella “Mom” was, by blood, Eric’s biological son.
Eric was terrified. Not of being a father—but of being found out. He was willing to return Sam to the agency rather than face the truth, rather than admit he had betrayed Ella during the most vulnerable time in her life.
And that… that was the final blow.
A Mother’s Strength
Ella couldn’t believe it.
