MasukTyler sat across with his eyes facing the ceiling. He felt like he was worlds away.Several shopping bags covered the desk.The bags contained books, toys, dresses, clothes, even a plastic sword.He had purchased everything he thought children might like.The problem was that he had absolutely no idea what his children actually liked.That realization frustrated him.For years he had been one of the most informed men in every room.Now he didn't even know his son's favorite color, or his daughter's favorite cartoon.He was an absent father, and he hated it. Something had to change.His gaze lingered on the gifts.Then he picked up his phone.Kennedy answered after several rings."Hello?""It's me."A brief silence followed."I know."Tyler almost smiled. She was straight to the point as always."I bought a few things.""For the children?"He took a breath.While he picked out every item himself, he lives in the fear that his ex wife might not grant him access to see his children. He di
The restaurant Vincent chose overlooked the river.At night, the water reflected thousands of lights from the city, creating a view beautiful enough to distract Kennedy from the nervousness she had been feeling all evening.Vincent noticed immediately."You've been quiet." He said, trying to ease the tension he equally felt in his chest.Kennedy smiled."I've been thinking.""Should I be worried?""Probably not."Vincent laughed softly.The sound eased some of her tension. Her fingers felt cold, and her eyes darted around the room.Dinner had gone surprisingly well. There had been no interruptions, no business calls, and no unexpected disasters.Just the two of them.She could get used to something like this. It had been their date alone. She loved being a mother, but this made her appreciate having no serious responsibilities.For a moment neither spoke.Then Vincent set down his glass.The movement immediately caught her attention.His expression changed slightly.He seemed more focu
The awkwardness lingered as they returned to the registration area.The teacher immediately apologized for the confusion.Several forms had to be corrected.Names had to be updated, and emergency contacts confirmed.Partnership groups were reassigned.It became a surprisingly complicated process.By the end of it, the teacher finally smiled."Everything is fixed." The teacher announced as she placed a stamp on the paper.Kennedy sighed with relief.The woman glanced between her and Vincent, then made a final note."Partner registered."Vincent looked up.The teacher smiled."You and Ms. Kennedy are paired together for today's activities."For a second Vincent thought he had misheard.Partner.The word echoed pleasantly inside his head.He tried very hard not to look too pleased.Unfortunately, he failed.Kennedy simply nodded."That's alright. Thank you."As though nothing about it was significant.Vincent secretly found her lack of reaction adorable.The teacher handed them their acti
Kennedy was already regretting agreeing to Family Day.The school had announced it weeks ago. Parents were encouraged to attend, participate in activities, and spend time with their children.At the time, it had sounded harmless. She was even excited that she would get to see more parents around. She knew she would probably already know most of the parents from either childhood days or work.Now, standing in front of her mirror while Anna adjusted a bow in her hair for the third time, Kennedy wasn't so sure.Most people weren’t aware she had children. If they found out, questions about their paternity would arise."Mommy, does this look nice?" She asked."It looked nice the first two times too." Kennedy answered.She was now worried. With Tyler in the news, this kind of article would storm the world.Anna grinned.Just across the room, Carl was busy trying to convince Vincent that bringing snacks qualified as an official Family Day strategy."It does.""It doesn't." Vincent corrected.
It was almost seven pm when Vincent decided he would spend the night with the children. His original plans had involved taking time off to look at the papers his team had prepared, but Lennedy had called saying the children had asked for him.He sighed as he scratched that off his plans. He loves the children, and he knew saying no to him wasn't an option. Moreover, wasn't this what he said he wanted? He wants to be a member of the family. Now, he could see the children had accepted him into their lives.He got into his car, and headed for the route that led to Kennedy’s house. She had agreed to have lunch and dinner with him two days ago. This was a sign that he had made rhe right decision by taking a step forward. He was tired of standing in the shadows. He was tired of just being the available friend.He wanted to be so much more, and he knew there was potential for him to be so.He loved the children as his own, and Lennedy has grown comfortable with him enough to mention her probl
Brenda woke up smiling.For a few seconds, she didn't remember why. Then her eyes landed on the diamond ring resting on the bedside table.A soft laugh escaped her lips.Right. She was engaged.She had won. After Five years of waiting, Five years of hoping.Five years of standing beside Tyler while pretending she wasn't constantly wondering when or if he would ever choose her.Her friends had told her to give up. Her parents had even pushe dofff the possibility of her ever making it to be his fiancé. Everyone had advised her to search for someone else. They said she didn’t have to be Luna. They could just make do with what they had, and get her acquainted with some wealthy man. Good heavens shw had rejected their offer. There was only one fish she wanted, and he was the one who had slipped a ring into her finger. A large rock at that.And he was glad doing that. Or at least, that was what the headlines were saying.She couldn’t care less what he thought. All she knew was that she had pa
The unsettling feeling from outside her apartment lingered, a cold knot in Kennedy's stomach. Even in the car, speeding through the city streets, she couldn't shake it. She kept glancing at the rearview mirror, her eyes darting from car to car, from shadow to shadow. That cold stare. It felt real. I
The night was as cool as water.Ethan weaved through the crowd at the bar, making his way toward the counter.Leo followed close behind.In the dead of night, the two had once again been summoned by Tyler.When they arrived, they expected to find Tyler slumped in a drunken stupor. Instead, he sat ne
Later, Kennedy slipped away to the restroom to ease the awkwardness.Upon exiting, she unexpectedly encountered a familiar face in the hallway outside the restroom.Kennedy's steps halted as he looked at the young girl ahead, her face etched with sorrow. She wasn't exactly someone he knew well—they'
At the hospital, Alice handled everything—registering, queuing, paying fees.Kennedy, feeling unwell, remained curled up in a corner chair until Alice finished handling everything and came to find her.Seeing her pale complexion, Alice grew even more concerned."Are you okay? Why do you look like yo







