My husband took my stepdaughter to Christmas with his ex and told me I wasn’t her real mother—so I chose myself, walked away, and rebuilt a life they never saw coming.

Mariana laughed through tears. “Yes to all of it.”

Alexander cleared his throat. “Her return flight is Saturday at noon.”

Mariana nodded. “I have the itinerary.”

He shifted awkwardly. “She has allergy medicine in the front pocket.”

“I know.”

Of course she knew. She had been continue reading …