Chapter 131

Maria:The first thing that surprised me was how unimpressive the land looked.After months of sketches, meetings, spreadsheets, permits, contractor discussions, fundraising plans, and enough paperwork to make me question every life choice that had led me there, I had expected something more dramatic. There was a visible sign that all those late nights and endless revisions had transformed an idea into reality.Instead, reality looked suspiciously ordinary.Several acres of dirt stretched beneath a clear morning sky. A temporary site office sat near the entrance. Survey stakes dotted the ground. Construction equipment waited in neat rows. Three men were already arguing over measurements with the intensity of people negotiating a peace treaty rather than discussing concrete details.I stood beside Daniel at the edge of the property and took it all in.“Well.”Daniel glanced at me. “Well?”“I think I expected it to look more impressive.”“It will.”I laughed because that answer was pure

Chapter 132

Maria: I had reached the stage of pregnancy where everyone around me seemed to believe my body was now a community project. Victoria had called three times that week to ask if I was resting enough. My mother had called four times to make sure I was eating properly. Ada somehow managed to do both, often in the same conversation. At this point, I was convinced motherhood came with an invisible board of directors. Most evenings, I ended up in the reading nook beside the window without really deciding to. Daniel had built it overlooking the farm, and somewhere along the way it had become my favorite place in the house. From there, I could see the property stretching into the distance, the steady progress on the animal shelter, and the life that seemed to be growing around me faster than I could keep up with. A stack of books sat beside my chair. Shelter blueprints were tucked underneath them. Construction photos were scattered across the table. Outside, workers moved between partiall

Epilogue

Maria:Three months after our daughter, Amerie, was born, I finally understood why parents turned into those people who shoved baby pictures at strangers. It wasn’t even about showing her off. It was more like trying to keep up with her. Every day she looked a little different. Every day she figured something out. A new sound, a new expression, a new way of staring at the world like she was already forming opinions about it. It felt unfair, honestly. I had spent years building something steady, something predictable, and she came along and quietly rearranged everything without asking.Daniel took it further. Of course he did.I found him by the paddock, holding Amerie against his chest like she belonged there, like she had always belonged there. He was talking to her in that low, serious tone he used when he was pretending something was very important. She stared up at him like she understood every word.I stepped closer, folding my arms. “What are you two discussing?”He glanced at m

All Chapters of What We Pretended To Be : Chapter 131 - Chapter 133

Chapter 131

Chapter 132

Epilogue