A/N: I'm being nice, aren't I? ^^

~JIYONG~

I drove home as fast as the law allowed. I’d decided to check out the house first, hoping Erica or Taeyeon had been too busy giving Hayi a bath to answer my earlier call. Reaching the house, I found the door unlocked. Once inside, I took the stairs two at a time.

“Erica? Are you up there?” I called as I strode towards the nursery.

My question was met with silence. The nursery was empty. Spinning, I exited and descended once more to the main floor, where everything appeared the same as it had that morning. Completing a circuit to the dining room and living room, I returned to the front entranceway. What I’d feared and suspected was true. They were gone.

Muttering to myself about my own stupidity in trusting her, I hurried out to my car. Just as I was about to climb into the driver’s seat I noticed two women walking along the street, each pushing a baby stroller.

I recognized my friend Yoona’s familiar features immediately and beside her… a feeling of relief washed over me when I saw Erica. No, I silently amended, the other woman’s identity had yet to be confirmed.

With my heart thundering in my chest, I watched the women approach. Judging by the way Yoona was chatting and smiling, it was clear she believed the woman with her was Erica. But Yoona had met Erica only a couple of times. She’d repeatedly tried to befriend her, but Erica had declined all Yoona’s invitations.

I frowned. From this distance, the woman looked exactly like Erica. Could Youngbae’s information about Erica having a twin sister be wrong?

It was time to find out.

“Hello ladies.” I walked around the car to meet them.

“Jiyong! How nice to see you.” Yoona greeted me with a smile. “Erica didn’t say anything about you coming home for lunch.”

“I wanted to surprise her.” I replied casually, throwing Yoona’s companion a challenging glance and catching the look of guilt that flashed in her dark eyes.

“We walked to the store to pick up a few groceries.” Yoona explained, unaware of the tension. “Oh, Jiyong….” Yoona rushed on. “Hayi is such sweet baby and so adorable. I bet you’re thrilled to have your daughter and your wife home at last.”

“Thrilled doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.” Gritting my teeth, I curved my mouth into what I hoped would pass as a smile.

I knew the woman beside Yoona heard the barely suppressed sarcasm in my voice and as she met my gaze, I was sure she’d felt the anger coming off me in waves. I was staring at her with an intensity that could send a shiver of apprehension chasing through anyone at this moment.

But of course, Yoona was oblivious of the situation.

“When I called this morning to see how you were doing, I was so surprised when Erica answered.” Yoona continued brightly. “I insisted on coming over to see the baby. We’ve had a lovely visit. Haven’t we, Erica?” she turned to smile at the supposedly Erica.

“Yes.” ‘Erica’ acknowledge, dragging her gaze away from me. “I hope we can do it again.” She added politely.

“Me too. Well, as much as I’d love to stay and chat, I’d better take Nayeon home and feed her her lunch. But listen, now that Erica and the baby are back home, maybe we can all get together one evening.”

“That sounds like a great idea.” I was quick to reply. “How about this weekend?”

“Oh! Well….that would be wonderful.” Yoona’s tone was hesitant. “But you should check with your wife first.” She said. “Having a new baby in the house takes some adjusting to. Believe me, I know.” She flashed ‘Erica’ an understanding smile.

I turned to ‘Erica’. “What about it, babe?” I asked. “Are you feeling up to doing a little entertaining?”

‘Erica’ looked startled but she managed to keep her composure. “Of course.” She calmly assured.

“Splendid.” I immediately turned back to Yoona. “How does Saturday suit you?”

Yoona’s gaze darted to ‘Erica’.  “Saturday’s fine.” She replied tentatively. “But…”

“That’s settled.” I declared, as I bent to lift Hayi out of her stroller.

Beside me, ‘Erica’ kept her smile in place.

“Great! I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Erica.” Yoona said and with a wave she moved off.

‘Erica’ retrieved the grocery bags from the back of the stroller and followed me into the house. Once inside, I immediately turned to face her, my gaze piercing.

“Before you say anything.” ‘Erica’ said, quickly jumping in. “I’m sorry we weren’t here….”

“Really?!” I interjected, my voice tone disbelieving.

“I know I shouldn’t have gone with Yoona to the store.” I hurried on. “But there was no milk, juice or much of anything in the fridge and only two tins of Hayi’s formula left. I thought we’d be back in time. I’m sorry.” She repeated earnestly.

If I’d needed proof this woman wasn’t Erica, I’d just been handed it.

Why?

Erica would never apologize, not even once since I’d known her. In fact, I couldn’t recall Erica ever apologizing for anything. But to hear her apologize, not once but twice in the space of a few minutes, confirmed what I’d begun to suspect as we’d stood outside talking to Yoona.

“You sound like you really mean that.” I responded. As I studied her features more closely, I noticed several subtle differences in her appearance I should have spotted before. Differences I admitted now I’d been too caught up in my own anger to see.

Her hair was slightly longer and darker shade of brown. Her lips were fuller, more sensuous and I could see a Pisces tattoo behind her ear when she tied up her hair. But more telling by far was the look of sadness lurking in her eyes, a sadness that tugged strangely at my heart.

Hadn’t Youngbae mentioned something about Erica’s twin sister losing a baby? Such a tragedy would account for the sorrow I’d seen, and having had a child of her own explained why she’d handled Hayi with such confidence and efficiency.

I remembered standing in the doorway of the bedroom in the house in Jeonju watching her change Hayi’s diaper and thinking to myself that she seemed an entirely different person altogether.

I’d been right.

“I do mean it.” The words reiterating her apology penetrated my distracted thoughts. Suddenly the realization hit me that this woman was actually a stranger, and not the mother of my child, as I’d believed.

She wasn’t Erica. She was Taeyeon.

Confusion and anger warred within me but I stifled the impulse to demand an explanation.

Hayi began to squirm in my arms.

“She’s probably hungry and she definitely needs a diaper change.” I heard the woman say.

I drew a steadying breath. “I’ll do it.” I responded, relieved to have an opportunity to have some time alone in order to come to terms with the startling turn of events.

Upstairs, I undress the baby and proceeded to change her soiled diaper. My thoughts were racing. Why had Erica enlisted the help of her sister? They were up to something, I was sure of it. The bizarre development seemed to confirm my suspicion that she’d changed her mind about giving me sole custody of the baby.

My hands stilled for a moment and a chill ran through me. Gazing down at my infant daughter, I felt tears sting my eyes at the thought of losing Hayi. A kind of pain, something of which I’d never felt before tore at my heart.

Silently gritting my teeth, I renewed my vow to do everything in my power to keep my daughter here in Seoul where I could provide her with all the love, stability and security she deserved.

The impulse to confront the woman pretending to be Erica and demand she tells me what they were planning flared to life again. But I reined in my anger, deciding the best course of action was no action at all. I’d simply bide my time and play a waiting game.

~TAEYEON~

I busied myself putting away the perishable items while warming a bottle for Hayi. I couldn’t blame jiyong for being angry. How could I when I was the one who broke my own promise to him? But there had been something disturbing about the way he’d looked at me, almost as if he’d been trying to see inside my soul.

It was