Chapter 22

I watch my twins playing with their toys in the playroom. Their laughter fills the room, momentarily distracting me from the events of last night. I can't get the image of that mysterious person talking to the maid. Who could it be? And what were they discussing? I've replayed it a million times in my head, trying to think of anything that I could have missed that might help identify that person, but no matter how much I tried, there was nothing.

But as I sit here, watching my children's innocent joy, my thoughts drift to a different memory

- the day I gave birth to them. The fear and anxiety that consumed me as I lay in the hospital bed, waiting for them to arrive. All I could think about was how Cassandra had died in childbirth.

I remember the pain and uncertainty of those hours, wondering if history would repeat itself. But they entered the world healthy and perfect. The relief and overwhelming love that flooded my heart are feelings I will never forget. I had done it all on my own