Chapter 42

Adeline’s POV

The river breeze lifted strands of my hair, but it couldn’t loosen the tightness in my chest. The air between us felt heavier than it should, like even breathing took effort. Myra’s laughter floated over from the grass where she crouched with Elijah and Caleb, chasing butterflies. Their happiness was bright, easy… and for a heartbeat, it almost reached me. Almost. But the question pressing inside me wouldn’t let go.

I turned to Vincent. His gaze had been following the children, but I forced him to meet mine.

“Where did your daughter come from?”

The words came out harsher than I meant, and once they were out, there was no taking them back

For a long moment, he didn’t move. Then slowly, his head turned, his hazel eyes pinning me. There was disbelief in them…like I had insulted him just by asking…but beneath that, I caught it a flash of anger, tightly leashed.

“You’re asking questions you already know the answer to,” he said, his voice low.

The words hit harder than any sho