The phone vibrated against my hip, an unwelcome interruption during the most critical presentation of my European business tour. I ignored it once, twice, three times—until it became impossible to focus on the projection screen displaying Morgan Enterprises' expansion plans.
"I apologize," I murmured to the room of expectant investors, my British hosts nodding politely as I stepped away. "Please continue without me for just a moment."
In the hallway, I checked the caller ID: Maria. My heart stuttered. Maria never called during business hours unless something was terribly wrong.
"Eva." Her voice cracked, thick with emotion. "It's Ellie. She's sick—very sick."
The world tilted beneath my designer heels. "How sick? What happened?"
"Hand, foot, and mouth disease. The doctor says it's a severe case. She has a fever of 104.2 and..." Maria's voice broke. "They're concerned about complications. You need to come home now."
I pressed my palm against the wall to steady myself. Ellie. My baby. Three and a half years old and fighting something that could steal her from me.
"Derek?" I managed to ask, though my throat had closed to a pinprick.
"He's... he's been here, but he left again. Said he had an important meeting." Maria's hesitation spoke volumes. "Eva, I've been trying to reach him for hours."
Something cold and hard settled in my chest. Derek knew how seriously I took Ellie's health. He knew I'd want to be there.
"I'll be on the next flight," I said, already calculating the fastest route home. "Tell her Mommy's coming."
I ended the call and strode back into the conference room, my decision made before I reached the door.
"Ladies and gentlemen," I announced, my voice carrying the authority that had built Morgan Enterprises from nothing into an empire. "I regret to inform you that I must return to the United States immediately due to a family emergency."
The CEO of our London partner firm rose. "Ms. Morgan, we have the final contracts ready for signature tomorrow—"
"Reschedule everything," I cut him off. "My daughter needs me."
Two hours later, I was in a taxi heading to Heathrow, having canceled every meeting, dinner, and networking event for the remainder of my ten-day trip. My phone remained clutched in my hand as I dialed Derek repeatedly.
One ring. Two rings. Straight to voicemail.
"Derek, it's me again. Maria called. Ellie's in the hospital with hand, foot, and mouth disease. I'm on my way to the airport. Call me back immediately."
I tried again. And again. Each unanswered call twisted the knot in my stomach tighter.
At the airport, I used every connection I had to secure a seat on the next flight to New York. "I need to get home to my daughter," I told the ticket agent, not bothering to hide the desperation in my voice.
The overnight flight passed in a blur of worry and calculation. If Ellie's fever didn't break soon... if there were complications... if Derek had been neglecting her while I was away...
I landed at JFK just after midnight, local time. The taxi ride to our Westchester home felt endless, streetlights blurring through eyes exhausted from sleepless hours and unshed tears.
When I finally turned the key in our front door, the silence that greeted me wasn't right. Ellie should have been asleep upstairs, but there was something... off.
I dropped my suitcase in the foyer and froze. Women's shoes—expensive designer pumps—sat neatly by the entrance. Not my shoes.
"Hello?" I called out, my voice echoing through our marble entryway.
A child's laughter—unfamiliar, high-pitched—drifted down from upstairs.
My heart hammered against my ribs as I climbed the stairs, following the sound. Another voice joined the first—a boy's voice, older than Ellie's.
The door to Ellie's bedroom stood ajar. Warm light spilled into the hallway.
"Derek?" I called again, pushing the door open wider.
He emerged from Ellie's room, his expression shifting from annoyance to surprise when he saw me.
"Eva," he said, too casually. "You're back early."
"What's going on?" I demanded, stepping past him toward Ellie's bed. She lay there, small and flushed, her dark curls damp with sweat. "And who are those children upstairs?"
Derek blocked my path, his smile not reaching his eyes. "We'll talk about it later. Ellie's finally sleeping. The doctor gave her something strong."
I moved around him to touch my daughter's forehead. She was burning up.
"Why didn't you answer my calls?" I whispered fiercely. "Maria said she couldn't reach you either."
"Phone died," he said with a shrug that didn't match his words. "Battery issue."
From upstairs came another burst of laughter—definitely not Ellie's. A woman's voice called out something I couldn't quite make out.
Derek's phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at it, and I caught a glimpse of the screen before he turned away.
"Who's here, Derek?" I asked, my voice deadly quiet.
His eyes darted to the side, never meeting mine. "No one important."
But the shoes by the door and the voices upstairs told a different story—one I was suddenly determined to uncover.
