“Get out,” I said, my voice a quiet fury. “Leave. Now.”He blinked. “Wait, what?”“You heard me,” I said. “Leave. This is done. This was your second chance, and you just threw it in the dirt.”He frowned, mouth parting like he was about to argue. But I wasn’t done. Not even close.“I gave you everyt
E M I L YThe following weekend came faster than I expected.I wasn’t sure why I agreed to another visit. Maybe I wanted to believe that last time hadn’t been a fluke. That maybe, just maybe, there was a spark of sincerity in Tristan’s eyes when he knelt to shake Mila’s hand. Or maybe I still carrie
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