The Wrong Child

"Dad?!"

I stared at the screen, frozen, as if every drop of blood in my body had solidified in that instant.

That crisp, innocent "Dad" hit me like a hammer straight to the temple. My mind went blank, my thoughts scattering into nothing.

Scott cheated? And not just that, but he even had a child with her?!

My chest tightened. I shut off the tablet, unable to keep watching. All I could see was that boy calling him "Dad".

At ten that night, Scott pushed the door open, looking worn out. The moment he finished changing his shoes, I slammed the tablet down on the coffee table with a sharp crack.

On the screen was the frozen frame from yesterday morning—the boy looking up at him, calling him "Dad".

"Scott Shaw, explain this." My eyes locked onto his, refusing to miss even the slightest flicker of emotion. "The kid who called you Dad—whose child is he?"

The moment he saw the screen, his whole body stiffened, but just as quickly, a helpless, bitter smile spread across his face. He walked over, took my hand, and sat down beside me without a trace of guilt.

"Katie, you’ve got the wrong idea.

"That woman’s name is Amanda Cooper. She used to work under me. Her husband died in a car accident a couple of years ago and left her alone with the kid. It’s been hard on them."

He let out a quiet sigh, his gaze steady and sincere. "Gabriel gets picked on at kindergarten for not having a dad. He’s gotten withdrawn, insecure.

"Amanda had nowhere else to turn. She asked me more than once if I could step in occasionally and just pretend to be his father. Give him a little confidence.

"He’s about the same age as Noah. I thought maybe the two of them could be friends… so I felt bad and agreed. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you’d overthink it.

"As for the school card, when I dropped them off yesterday, Gabriel was playing around and must’ve mixed it up with Noah’s by accident."

His calm tone and airtight explanation slowly loosened the knot in my chest.

Thinking back, Scott had always been soft-hearted. He donated to underprivileged communities all the time.

Had I really just been overworked lately and letting my imagination run wild?

"Next time something like this happens, you tell me in advance. I don’t like other kids calling my husband 'Dad'." I pulled my hand back, my tone easing.

"Yes, ma’am. Lesson learned. I swear, from now on, I’ll keep a strict distance from them. No more getting carried away trying to help." Seeing that I’d believed him, Scott immediately leaned in with a grin and kissed me. "I’m going to shower. I’m exhausted."

I watched his back as he headed into the bathroom, letting out a long breath.

So it really was just a misunderstanding.

I stood up to hang the suit jacket he’d tossed onto the couch.

Just then, the screen of his phone on the coffee table lit up. A message notification popped up.

[Sunflower Daycare: Mr. Shaw, your son Noah Shaw’s meal fee of $800 for this month is overdue. Please settle it promptly to avoid disruption to his meals tomorrow.]