One year after my divorce, my ex-mother-in-law spotted me at the clinic with a smug grin. She told me her son made the right choice leaving me and was now raising a daughter with my former friend. I stayed calm, smiled, and said

A tall man in a navy suit entered, carrying a sealed evidence envelope. Patricia turned, and all the color left her face.

She knew him.

Everyone in the Parker family knew him.

Detective Andrew Cole had once investigated Ryan’s business partner for insurance fraud. Now he walked straight toward us, nodded to me, and then looked at Patricia.

“Mrs. Parker,” he said, “good. You’re here too.”

Patricia tightened her grip on her handbag. “Why would I need to be here?”

Detective Cole raised the envelope.

“Because your son’s daughter was created using Mrs. Bennett’s frozen embryo,” he said. “And the consent form appears to have been forged.”

The waiting room fell silent.

I looked at Patricia and said, “Still think he made the best choice?”….