I dropped my bag by the door, the house unusually quiet. Sarah, my step-mom was sitting on the couch, her white dress flowing over her swollen belly. Her green eyes met mine the moment I stepped in.

"Come sit," she said softly.

Something in her tone sent a chill through me. I sat down, my pulse quickening as she placed a hand on her belly.

"There’s something I need to tell you," she began, hesitating. Then, in a whisper— "This baby… it’s not your father’s. It’s yours."

The words hit me like a punch to the chest. My breath caught.

Sarah reached for my hand, her touch warm. "I didn’t want you to find out like this, but you deserve to know."

I pulled away, standing abruptly. My head spun, my heart pounded.

This couldn’t be real.

But looking at her, I knew it was. And nothing would ever be the same again.