Page 70 of A Lie so Dangerous and Fragile

Well, that wasn’t the reaction I had expected.

“Oh God, no, no, no. Please no,” he grunted and buried his face in his palms.

“Tristan?” I stepped closer, worried.

“Don’t say it. Please don’t.” He was about to break down. He took a sharp breath and ran his palm down his face in distress.

I was so confused. “Tristan?”

“She is dead, isn’t she? And it’s all my fault.”

“No, she is alive. Kayla is alive.”

He faced me immediately, looking so surprised. “She is alive? My baby girl is alive?”

He took slow steps toward me, still shocked. Happiness was radiating from the smile about to reach his face.

“Yes, Tristan. She is not dead.”

“Oh my God, thank you.” He wrapped his arms around me with a burst of joyful laughter.

I was still lost.

“I am so happy to hear that, Chloe. I don’t think I could stand the thought of losing another daughter.” He sounded relieved.

“Where is she? I wanna see her,” he asked, pulling away.

He looked so excited, and I was about to take the happiness and hope away.

“Um … she’s in Cuba. You know, the place where I had the twins.”

“Cuba? Why?” He looked confused.

I tried to say the words. I swallowed the dryness in my throat.

“I couldn’t take care of both of them, so …” I took a glance at him and tried to say it.

“So, what happened, Chloe? Is she in trouble?”

“I gave her up for adoption,” I said quickly.

“You what?” He looked ten times pissed and heartbroken.

“I couldn’t do it, Tristan.”

“So, you just tossed her away? Out of your life?”

“No! For Christ’s sake, I. Didn’t. Abandon. Her!”

“You took Kayden with you and left his sister. You separated them. Is she even safe? Are you keeping track of her? Is her new family nice to her? Is she happy? Is she …” he kept mumbling to himself and pacing around.

He looked anxious and agitated.

“Fuck!” He kicked the pair of slippers in front of him and turned away from me.

“My baby girl …” he whispered, running his fingers through his hair.

I didn’t know what to say. No words could make up for what I had done. He turned to me and tried to say something but said nothing as he stared at me as if he didn’t recognize me anymore. As if he didn’t understand how I could make such a decision. He turned away from me and walked into the closet.

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