Someone spoke behind me.

“Don’t.”

Ryan, Emma’s fiancé, stood near the staircase.

The woman’s expression suddenly softened.

“Ryan.”

He stiffened.

“You know her?”

“My dad knows her too.”

“Your father made sure I disappeared.”

“Stop,” Ryan said.

“What is going on?” I demanded.

David touched my arm.

“Laura, we should go somewhere private.”

I pulled away.

“No. Last night, you let me think you were sleeping with this woman. Emma obviously knows something. Ryan knows her. Nobody is taking me into another room and telling me to be patient.”

The woman faced me.

“You want to know why David knows me?”

“Yes.”

“Because your daughter is marrying my son.”

I stared at Ryan, stunned.

“No.”

He closed his eyes briefly.

“She’s my biological mother.”

Emma moved beside him while I tried to understand.

“You knew?”

She nodded.

“How long?”

“A couple of months.”

“And David?”

Emma looked at her father.