Madelyn felt trapped and believed that accepting the situation would protect her loved ones.

After she told Zach how she felt, she expected him to be mad. But he just smiled, pulled her closer, and gently played with her wavy hair. "So, how do you see us?"

Hesitantly, she lowered her eyes. "I wish we could just be brother and sister," she said.

Zach chuckled, a wicked look in his eyes. "Since when do siblings share a bed?" His gaze was icy and there was something unsettling about it, like a wild animal trapped behind bars. "You'll see things my way eventually. And one day, we'll watch our child grow up together."

"Dal isn't our child. It was all make-believe," Madelyn said. "If you want a child, you and Yvonne should have one. That would be your true child." She felt her life was confusing, but she thought Zach seemed even more lost. "I know this might upset you, but it's the truth."

"You've become pretty good with words, haven't you?" Zach teased, pinching her cheek lightly befor