Enraged, Laura stood up and faced her husband. "How dare you say that? You know full well she is yours."

Teresa began to inch farther away.

Mathew glared at his wife and put his face closer to hers. "Well, you'll never be able to prove it now. They cremated her."

Not the least bit intimidated, Laura put her hands on her hips. "I don't believe that girl is our daughter. I don't believe it for one single second."

"You just don't want to believe it. She is gone, Laura, dead and gone."

Laura narrowed her eyes for a moment, and then slowly and cunningly smiled. "Just a few more days and you will lose it all. All those years - squandered when you could have been happy with Karen, or Stephanie - or was it Helena you truly gave your heart to? What a dreary life you have lived."

Mathew doubled his fist. He looked like he was going to hit her, but he walked to the front door instead. "Have another drink, Laura, that's all you know how to do."

"I shall, and Mathew, be here at eight o'clock sharp, or I will leave without you."

"I'll be here." He walked out and slammed the door.

For all her pretending, Laura was not that strong, and as soon as he was gone, she sunk back into her chair. "How I hate that man. He has taken everything from me."

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She was truly terrified, and it took a moment for Teresa to be certain he wasn't coming back. She moved finally, and sat in the chair opposite Laura. "Your daughter died?"

"If you believe Mathew, she did. I don't believe him. It wouldn't be the first time he lied to get what he wanted."

"But you do have a daughter?"

"A daughter I have never seen." She got up, went to the liquor cabinet, and poured her fifth straight shot of the evening. "I was in a coma for days after she was born. When I came out of it, Mathew had hidden my baby from me."

"How?"

"I do not know how, I was too ill to know anything at all. I do remember the doctors saying the baby was fine. Mathew assured me she was being well cared for, and I believed him. If it wasn't for the ultrasounds, I'd not even know it was a girl."

"You nearly died?"

"So they said." She downed that drink and reached for the bottle again. "How panicked my poor Mathew must have been. If he lost me, he would lose the trust fund and the inheritance."

Teresa was totally shocked. "From the very beginning, you didn't know where your baby was?"




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