His voice trailed off, and he kissed the top of her head gently, like she was made of porcelain.“I’ve never been anyone’s dad before,” he continued after a long pause. “I didn’t know what it would feel like. But this… this is everything.”I reached for his hand, threading my fingers through his.“Y
Something inside me clenched.She said it so innocently, so casually. Like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Like this truth had always existed, and we had just taken too long to say it out loud.Ivan blinked, and I saw it, how still he went. His arms frozen, his breathing hitched.But Mil
E M I L YThe next morning arrived quietly, with the kind of softness only Saturdays could carry. The air was cooler than usual for mid summer, drifting in through the slightly open windows like a gentle hush. Light filtered through the sheer curtains, painting golden strips across the bedroom walls
I sat beside him, but not too close. Not yet. “You’re not,” I said gently. “You are the foundation we built everything on. I haven’t changed. Mila hasn’t changed. The only thing that’s changed is that a ghost knocked on the door, and I didn’t slam it in his face.”He leaned forward, elbows on his kn
He looked at me for a long time, then said quietly, “What if he wins her over, Emily? What if he comes in and makes her love him just enough to get attached… and then he leaves again? What then? Do you have any idea what that would do to her? Because I do. I’ve seen that kind of heartbreak. I’ve liv
My breath caught.“No,” I said quickly. Too quickly, maybe. “Ivan, no. This isn’t about me wanting Tristan back. That part of my life is done. Dead. You—” I reached out, trying to take his hand, but he didn’t move, didn’t reach back. “You are the only man I want. The only one Mila has ever known. Yo