Mei sat down heavily in one of her dining chairs, her hands shaking slightly. "There's only one person I can think of. Only one person who would know these are my favorite flowers. Who would have the money to send arrangements like this. Who might want to..."
She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
"Who, Mama?" Aria pressed gently.
Mei looked up at her daughter....her beautiful, brilliant daughter who knew nothing about the man who'd fathered her. Who'd been protected from that knowledge for twenty-five years.
"Your father," Mei said quietly. "Your biological father."
The silence in the apartment was absolute.
"My father?" Aria repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "But you said that it was a mistake, a brief relationship that didn't work out....."
"I lied." Mei felt tears prick at her eyes. "I'm sorry, baby. I lied to protect you. To protect both of us."
