"You were aware, weren't you?"
Mike's voice was harsh and cutting, piercing the room like a razor. Startled by his unexpected appearance in the doorway, I turned to face him. His fists curled at his sides, and his shoulders were rigid. I knew I couldn't avoid this conversation because of the storm in his eyes.
"Mike, I—" I started, but he cut me off with a raised hand.
His voice trembled with barely controlled wrath as he repeated, "Don't." "Avoid trying to explain just yet. Cath, I need your response. Were you aware of Mia? Were you aware that she was my daughter?
With my heart thumping in my ears, I took a deep drink. This was the moment I had feared, when no matter how hard I tried to hide it, the truth would eventually clamber to the surface.
"I just learned about it," I said, my
