Shadows Drift Beyond Memory by Xarin Vale novel Chapter 30

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I walked into the Social Security office with a stack of documents for my retirement filing.

The clerk took my marriage license, turned it over a few times, then slid it back.

“Ma’am, this license is fake

My heart dropped.

The county seal doesn’t match.”

“You must be mistaken. My husband’s Flynn Reeves. We’ve been married fifty years.”

She typed his name into the system.

“Flynn Reeves… Yeah, I remember that name. He was just in here yesterday filing his paperwork. But he’s already listed as

married.”

I leaned forward, following her finger on the monitor.

Under “Spouse,” it clearly read: Holly Shaw–Flynn’s widowed sister–in–law.

My hands shook as I called him, demanding answers. He didn’t even bother denying it.

“I’ve given you a good life. What more do you want?”

Then I heard my son in the background. “My mom and dad kept it quiet for your sake. You’re not young anymore–just drop

it.”

That’s when it hit me–the child I’d raised wasn’t even mine.

“Where’s my baby?” My voice broke.

Flynn’s answer was ice–cold. “Drowned him the day he was born.”

My chest tightened. Everything went black. I collapsed.

When I opened my eyes, I was actually back on the day I gave birth.

This time, I’m staying one step ahead.

The pain came flooding back–sharp, overwhelming.

I blinked up at the fluorescent lights overhead.

“Mira, look at our son. Isn’t he perfect?”

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His Girl Bro Lied ‘Not His Baby‘–DNA Played Along, But Baby IS His!

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Chapter 1

Flynn stood beside the hospital bed holding a baby, grinning.

I looked around–at his young face, the sterile room, the IV in my arm.

Holy shit. I’d gone back.

This was the day I gave birth. The day Flynn murdered my real son.

Panic hit me like a freight train.

Forget the pain–I had to get that baby.

“Give him to me.”

Flynn handed him over, no questions asked.

I yanked the blanket open and pulled down the baby’s diaper.

Sure enough–a round blue birthmark on his butt.

Rage exploded in my chest.

This was the ungrateful little bastard I’d raised my whole life–Flynn and Holly’s kid!

Flynn kept up the act, smiling at me all innocent.

“They say a birthmark there means good luck. Our boy’s gonna be set for life–successful, the whole nine yards.”

I almost laughed in his face.

Yeah, he’d be set for life–with me as his meal ticket.

I’d given him everything. Fed him, clothed him, paid for Stanford.

And he told me not to make a scene about Flynn screwing around with his sister–in–law–Holly.

Thinking of this, I wanted to tear all three of them apart.

But first–I had to find my real son.

I swallowed my anger and forced myself to sound normal.

“How’s Holly doing? What about her baby?”

A flicker of something crossed Flynn’s face–just for a second.

“She’s fine. Had a boy too.”

“You stay with the baby. I’m gonna go check on her.”

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His Girl Bro Lied ‘Not His Baby‘–DNA Played Along, But Baby IS His!

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Chapter 1

I waited until he was gone, then called over a nurse and whispered a quick lie.

Minutes later, I slipped into Holly’s room.

She and Flynn had both been called to the nurses‘ station.

My son lay on the bed, barely moving.

His breathing was so shallow I could barely see his chest rise.

I didn’t waste a second. I switched the babies.

Looking down at him–this tiny, fragile thing–I felt tears burn my eyes.

Even though this was the first time I’d seen him, I knew. This was my son.

Flynn was Army, and Holly was a combat medic.

In my past life, he’d used deployment as cover to take her with him.

The two of them lived it up hundreds of miles away.

When they needed money, they called me. When they missed the kid, they flew back for a visit.

Meanwhile, I’d been played for a fool–raising that cheating pair’s son, working myself to death.

They got to enjoy the rewards–a Stanford grad handed to them on a silver platter.

Not this time.

This time, they’d pay for everything.

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