Part 1

I had seen the tattoo countless times, but I never truly questioned it anymore. Richard had a woman’s face inked across his chest, complete with dark eyes, delicate features, and a tiny rose behind her ear. When I first asked about her during our honeymoon, he casually told me the tattoo artist had invented the design. I believed him because there was never another reason not to.

Over the years, life became bigger than an old tattoo. Our painful struggle to have children eventually led us to adoption, and Claire became the center of our world. Richard loved her completely, and I forgot about the mysterious woman until one afternoon, when I discovered a hidden compartment inside his old toolbox cabinet. Inside was a photograph, several old papers, and an address book. Then I saw the woman from Richard’s chest—and noticed the baby in her arms was wrapped in Claire’s unmistakable newborn blanket…