T R I S T A NThe door slammed behind Ivan like a final blow to the gut.Silence swallowed the room, thick and charged with the fury he’d left behind. The scent of whiskey, takeout, and sweat hung in the air. My fists trembled at my sides, pulsing with rage. I stared at the space where he’d stood, s
It was about Mila.And making damn sure the man who abandoned her didn’t waltz in here thinking fatherhood was some card he could play whenever it suited him.I got out of the car and knocked.The door opened slower than I expected.Tristan stood there in a wrinkled shirt, barefoot, phone in one han
I V A NI couldn’t sleep that night.Even after Mila’s giggles had faded into soft breaths from her bedroom and Emily had curled into me on the couch with a whispered confession that she thought she’d done the right thing, I stayed up. Eyes locked on the dark ceiling of our bedroom, chest burning wi
He looked toward the pond, his face softening the moment he spotted her. His mouth parted slightly, like he was holding his breath. “She’s… she’s beautiful.” “She’s five,” I said, flatly. “Keep that in mind. She only knows you as the man who brought her gifts. Keep that impression.”He nodded, almo
Today, she was going to meet her father for the very first time, though to her, he’d be just another adult in the world, a stranger with a name I hadn’t spoken aloud in years. I hadn’t told her anything beyond, “We’re meeting someone new today, okay? Be your sweet self.” And she’d simply nodded, ask
E M I L YWhen my phone buzzed and I saw Tristan’s name flash across the screen, I didn’t answer right away. I just stared at it, chest tightening, thumb hovering over the green icon like it burned. Part of me hoped he’d hang up. That this would be one of those missed calls I could ignore and forge