Richard cleared his throat. “We’re also giving you the house in Riverside. The one we bought as an investment property. It has four bedrooms, a yard, good schools nearby—perfect for raising a family.”

Tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t form words. The future I’d dreamed about was suddenly, impossibly real.

Vanessa had been silent through all of this, picking at her salad. Then she spoke, her voice cutting through the celebration like a blade. “Oh, well. I wonder who the dad is.”