I noticed the change in the office atmosphere immediately. Where I'd once moved with the confidence of someone who knew every aspect of Reese's professional life, I now felt like an intruder in my own workspace. Mckenna had begun appearing at meetings with increasing frequency, her presence justified by vague references to "consulting" that no one had bothered to explain to me.
Today was the quarterly production meeting I'd spent weeks preparing for. I'd assembled comprehensive reports, organized projections, and created detailed presentations that showcased Reese's upcoming projects in the best possible light. As his personal assistant for six years, I knew exactly how to highlight his strengths to potential investors.
"Teresa, did you bring the updated market analysis?" Reese asked as we settled into the conference room.
I nodded, sliding the folder across the table. "Everything's organized by quarter, with comparative data from your last three films."
The door opened, and Mckenna glided in, dressed in an impeccable cream suit that made my sensible black dress feel suddenly inadequate. She carried a sleek leather portfolio and wore the confident smile of someone who belonged.
"Sorry I'm late," she announced, though no one had been expecting her. "Traffic on Wilshire was brutal."
Reese's face transformed, his professional mask giving way to genuine warmth. "Mckenna, glad you could make it."
I kept my expression neutral as she took the seat directly across from Reese—the position I usually occupied during these meetings. I moved my notes and slid to the chair beside mine, now relegated to secondary status.
"I took the liberty of running some additional projections," Mckenna said, opening her portfolio with a flourish. "I noticed a few gaps in the current analysis that might interest our investors."
Gaps? I'd triple-checked everything.
She distributed glossy presentation folders—clearly professionally printed, unlike my practical but plain binders. "I've included a comparison with international markets that weren't factored into the original projections."
I watched as Reese flipped through her materials, his eyebrows rising with each page. "This is impressive work, Mckenna. The Asian market potential is something we completely overlooked."
We hadn't overlooked it. I'd mentioned those markets three times in our preparatory meetings, but Reese had dismissed them as "not worth the effort."
For the next hour, I sat silently as Mckenna effortlessly commandeered the meeting, presenting insights that were either variations of my own work or completely impractical suggestions that sounded impressive to the uninitiated. What stung most was how Reese nodded along, captivated by ideas he'd rejected when they came from me.
"Teresa's approach has always been very... traditional," Reese commented during a discussion about social media strategy. "Mckenna brings a fresh perspective we've been needing."
Traditional. The word hung in the air like an indictment of not just my work but my entire existence in his life.
That evening, after tucking Lorelei into bed, I opened my laptop and updated my resume for the first time in six years. My fingers hesitated over the keyboard as I tried to summarize what I'd accomplished while working for Reese. How could I quantify maintaining a secret marriage while projecting the image of a bachelor to the world? What bullet point would capture raising our daughter largely alone while ensuring his career flourished?
The next morning, I found Lorelei at the kitchen table, her tongue caught between her teeth in concentration as she carefully colored a piece of construction paper. Crayons were scattered around her, and she had that look of intense focus that always reminded me of Reese when he was memorizing lines.
"What are you making, sweetheart?" I asked, setting her breakfast beside her.
"It's a special list," she replied without looking up. "For Daddy."
Something in her tone made my heart ache. I peered over her shoulder and saw the words written in her careful kindergarten handwriting: "Daddy's Three Chances to Love Us."
Beneath the title, she'd written:
1. Come to my kindergarten show and watch me perform.
2. Have dinner with just our family and no phones.
3. Tell me he loves me when I ask him.
Tears blurred my vision as I read her simple, heartbreaking requests. These weren't extravagant demands—they were the basic elements of fatherhood that Reese had never provided.
"Do you think he'll do these things, Mommy?" Lorelei asked, looking up at me with those hopeful eyes that had not yet learned to expect disappointment.
"I'll make sure he sees your list," I promised, knowing I couldn't promise more.
The next morning, I approached Reese during his coffee ritual, the only time he was relatively approachable before the day's demands began.
"Lorelei made this for you," I said quietly, placing her colorful list beside his cup.
He glanced at it, his expression hardening as he read. Without a word, he crumpled the paper and tossed it toward the trash can.
"Stop trying to manipulate me with the kid's emotional games," he said coldly, not meeting my eyes.
A small gasp from the hallway made us both turn. Lorelei stood there in her pajamas, her eyes wide with hurt as she stared at the crumpled ball of paper that represented her hopes.
Before either of us could speak, she darted forward, snatched the crumpled list from where it had fallen, and ran back to her room. Through the open door, I watched as she carefully smoothed out the wrinkles, her small fingers working with determined precision to restore what her father had so carelessly destroyed.
