Chapter 3: Daddy Doesn't Know Me

“Mommy, are you mad at me?”

Nihan's small voice pulled Varany from her thoughts. Daisy held her hand while Nihan looked up at Varany with worried eyes.

“I won't look for Dad anymore,” Nihan said, her voice trembling. “Please don't cry. I'm sorry.”

Varany quickly wiped her cheeks, surprised to realize she had been crying. She pulled Nihan into her arms and kissed her hair.

“No, baby. Mommy isn't mad at you.”

“Don't cry, okay?”

Nihan started crying, and Varany held her tighter.

Nihan was too young to understand why her mother was hurting. Varany had given her everything she could: a home, food, clothes, toys, and more love than she thought she had to give.

But she knew what Nihan really wanted.

A father.

If Varany had known she was pregnant, she wondered if she would have stayed with Bradly despite everything, just so Nihan could grow up with the family she deserved.

Daisy watched them quietly, understanding without needing to ask. Once Nihan's crying eased, she distracted her with a story and a few silly faces, though the worry in the child's eyes remained.

Varany took a breath and stood. “Sis, can you watch her for a while?”

“Of course. What do you need?”

“I have some paperwork to finish for tomorrow's delivery.”

Work was easier to focus on. Numbers, orders, and schedules made sense, and the café was something Varany had built herself.

Two years earlier, shortly after Nihan was born, Varany had barely slept. She worked during the day and cared for Nihan at night, repeating the routine until she somehow made it through the first year.

By the second year, the café was finally doing well. Customers returned, word spread, and Varany began making a profit instead of worrying about every bill. With the business stable, she returned to school to finish her Culinary Arts degree.

Graduation should have made things easier, but Varany soon let the nanny go. She could not bear spending her days away from Nihan and coming home knowing someone else had been there for the moments she had missed.

The café was more than a business now. It was the life Varany had built for herself and her daughter.

And she had named it Nihan's Dream Place.

Not anymore.

Two months later, everything changed when Varany ran into Daisy. The moment Daisy saw her with Nihan, Varany knew she could no longer disappear as she had six years ago.

They took Nihan out to eat and let her play while they sat across from each other, six years of unanswered questions between them.

“Do you have any idea how long we've been looking for you?” Daisy asked. “You disappeared like you never existed. You didn't even tell me.”

Varany lowered her eyes. She had no excuse, especially because Daisy was the person she had missed most.

“I would've supported you,” Daisy said quietly. “No matter what happened.”

Varany could not answer because she knew it was true.

Then Daisy looked toward Nihan.

“That little girl…” Her voice softened. “She's my niece, isn't she?”

Varany froze.

“She looks like him.”

The words broke through the walls Varany had spent years building. Daisy stared at Nihan for a long moment before lowering her head.

“I'm sorry.”

Varany reached across the table and took Daisy's hand. She had missed her more than she wanted to admit. After discovering she was pregnant, there had been many nights when she picked up her phone to call Daisy, only to lose her nerve.

“No. I'm the one who should be sorry,” Varany said. “I ran from everything and everyone. I didn't know how to heal while staying in the place that broke me.”

Daisy squeezed her hand.

For the first time in years, Varany felt less alone.

“She’s your niece,” Varany finally said. “Nihan Everhart. She's four and turning five soon.”

Daisy's eyes softened as she looked toward the play area. “I'll love her.”

“You will,” Varany said with a small smile. “She's loud and a little dramatic.”

Daisy laughed through her tears. “She probably got that from you.”

For a moment, they felt like sisters again.

Then Daisy's expression turned serious. “My brother deserves to know. Please don't keep Nihan away from us. I know he hurt you, but don't take this away from your daughter.”

Varany closed her eyes. “I was never going to hide her forever. I'll bring her to you. To all of you.”

Relief crossed Daisy's face, but Varany quickly added, “Just not yet. I'm not ready, especially not to see him.”

“What if I don't want to wait?” Daisy asked. “What if I call him right now?”

Varany's heart jumped.

Daisy held her gaze. “Do you really think he wouldn't come looking for you?”

After six years of hiding, the future Varany feared was suddenly close.

“Then you won't find us again,” she said. “If you tell him, we disappear.”

The warning was enough to stop Daisy. Varany turned toward Nihan, but Daisy caught her arm.

“Fine,” Daisy said. “I'll wait.”

Varany looked back.

“Six months,” Daisy added. “That's all I'm asking. Please let us be part of her life.”

Varany knew Daisy and Nihan deserved that much, even if she was not ready to face Bradly. She nodded.

END OF FLASHBACK

Four months had passed since Varany promised Daisy she would let her family into Nihan's life. After seeing Nihan cry over her father, four months suddenly felt impossible.

Varany stared at the paperwork on her desk, unable to focus. One question kept returning: how long could she keep Bradly away before protecting Nihan started hurting her instead?

She closed her eyes. Facing Bradly meant reopening everything she had spent six years trying to forget, but Nihan deserved to know her father.

Varany reached for her phone and hesitated for only a moment before pressing the screen.

No more hiding.

Tonight, she would call Daisy. Then she would return to the life she had left behind, including the man she had never truly forgotten.

Her pulse quickened at the thought of seeing Bradly again.

Walking away from him had almost destroyed her.

Going back might destroy her all over again.

And this time, there would be nowhere left to run.