For a moment, I didn’t understand.
“What?”
Dr. Carter exhaled deeply.
“I delivered Lena’s baby a few months ago. Same situation, same father. Both babies have heterochromia—it’s a genetic condition that causes two different eye colors.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “That’s not possible!”
Lena let out a small, broken laugh without any humor.
“Mark told me I was the only one, too.”
I looked at Noah, then back at her.
My body felt weak, but my thoughts raced.
Dr. Carter stood and looked at Noah again, his voice heavy.
“When I saw your baby… I recognized the resemblance immediately. I’ve seen that face before on Lena’s child.”
I could hardly believe it.
I turned to her. “Mark is my husband. How did you end up having his child?!”
Now Lena looked just as shocked. Her hand flew to her mouth.
“You’re his wife?!”
I nodded once.
“I didn’t even know he was married,” she said. “I met him about a year ago. I was working nights. He came in all the time, always acting lonely, always saying no one was waiting for him.”
A cold realization spread through me.
About a year ago, Mark and I had been at our worst. He had disappeared for a while, then returned like nothing had happened. When I asked where he’d been, he accused me of creating drama.
Now I understood.
Lena wiped her cheek.
“I got pregnant quickly. When I told him, he changed overnight. Said he wasn’t ready. Then he stopped answering. A week later, he was gone, and his number didn’t work.”
I stared at her—it was painfully familiar.
“I only came up because I thought if there was even a chance the baby was his, maybe he’d be here,” she said. “Maybe I could finally confront him.”
Dr. Carter looked between us, jaw tight.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I should’ve realized sooner. When Lena’s daughter was born, she had the same eyes. It’s rare, and she was alone too. Mark was listed as the father. When you gave me his name, everything connected.”
My mouth went dry. I looked down at Noah, sleeping peacefully, his mismatched eyes now closed.
My son had a sister.
And Mark had abandoned both of them.
Lena and I stood there, staring at each other, trying to process the same reality.
Neither of us spoke at first.
Then she shook her head.
“I kept telling myself there had to be an explanation,” she said. “But this… this isn’t one.”
She glanced at Noah.
She was right.
Dr. Carter leaned against the counter, arms crossed.
I looked at him.
“That’s why you reacted like that when you saw my son,” I said.
He nodded.
“I knew I had to tell you.”
I looked down at Noah as he shifted slightly in my arms, unaware of everything.
My voice came out softer than I expected.
“I’m not letting my husband walk away from this.”
Lena immediately looked at me.
“Good, because I’m not letting him get away with it either.”
There was no hesitation in her voice.
She stepped closer.
“I’ve been trying to figure this out alone,” she said. “But I don’t even know where to start.”
Dr. Carter straightened.
“My brother’s a lawyer,” he said. “Family law. I can connect you both. I’m sure he’ll help for free.”
Lena and I exchanged a glance.
