Chapter 23 Am I Really That Ugly?

Quinn Estate. Lila Cross hummed a cheerful tune in the kitchen as she prepared dinner. Noah dragged a small stool to the center of the kitchen and sat down, chin propped on his palms, tilting his head as he watched her. "Mommy." She paused mid-chop and turned. "What is it?" "I wish you were my real mommy." The little boy gazed earnestly into her eyes. "Your eyes look just like ours. Could you actually be our real mother?" Lila gave a helpless smile and turned back to slicing vegetables. "But I've never given birth—" She stopped abruptly. Five years ago, she *had* given birth to a stillborn child. Did that count as having given birth? The memory tugged at her heart, so she quickly changed the subject. "You've never seen your real mother?" "Nope," Noah shook his head. "We heard she died during childbirth." "But I don't think she's really dead. She must be out there somewhere, waiting for us to find her!" Hearing the child's innocent words, Lila sighed softly. She cut off a small piece of