Chapter 4

The lakeside boardwalk amusement park was our next scheduled stop, planned by Mark to "relax" before the final leg of the mountain drive.

In my first life, it was where I'd bought Leo too much cotton candy.

This time, it served a different purpose.

While Mark was being airlifted to the nearest trauma center, Brenda and Jessica were a mess.

I suggested we continue to the next town, where the hospital was, but first, "Leo needs a distraction."

Leo. The boy I had loved as my own.

Before we left that morning, I'd taken a strand of his hair from his brush. A quick trip to a friend who worked in a lab, a rushed DNA test under a false premise.

The results came back to my phone while we were waiting for news on Mark at a local diner near the overlook.

Not a match. Zero percent chance.

The confirmation was a cold, hard knot in my stomach, fueling the fire.

He was Mark and Tiffany's son. A living symbol of their betrayal.

At the boardwalk, the place was packed. Tourists, families, noise, chaos. Perfect.

I gave Leo a twenty-dollar bill.

"Go play some games, sweetie," I said, my voice soft, maternal. A role I played so well.

He beamed, "Thanks, Mom!"

That word, "Mom," from him now felt like a twist of a knife I no longer felt. It was just a word.

He ran off towards the arcade, swallowed by the crowd.

I watched him go. Then I turned to Brenda and Jessica, who were sitting numbly on a bench.

"I'm just going to get some water," I said.

I walked in the opposite direction of the arcade.

I didn't look back.

I found a quiet spot by the lake, took out my phone, and deleted every picture of Leo.

He was their child. Their problem now.

An hour later, Brenda started to panic. "Where's Leo? Sarah, where's Leo?"

I feigned surprise, then growing alarm.

"I thought he was with you! He went to the arcade!"

We "searched," calling his name. Jessica was useless, just wringing her hands. Brenda was frantic.

I made a show of talking to park security, filing a "missing child" report.

My face showed distress. My heart felt nothing.

He wasn't lost to me. He was abandoned.

One less tie to the Johnson family. One less piece of their deception in my life.

The lottery ticket was still safe in my purse, the real prize.