INICIAR SESIÓNAva’s POVThe night after we met Dave Ashton in the park.Eli rolled over and asked, “Do you think Mom knows we know?”“She probably suspects,” I whispered back.And honestly? That conversation could’ve gone somewhere emotional or deep or whatever, but instead Eli said, “If she ever tells us officially, let’s just act surprised.”I turned to look at him. “Why?”“Because she clearly wants to say it herself.”And annoyingly enough… he was right.So we agreed.If Mom ever decided to tell us about our father, we’d let her do it her own way.No pressure.No “we already know.”Nothing.Because even if she tried to hide it, you could tell the whole thing hurt her somehow.And if there’s one thing Eli and I are both very serious about, it’s Mom.Always Mom.So when she suddenly started acting suspiciously nice that morning, I already knew something was coming.Breakfast in bed on a weekday?Yeah. Something was definitely happening.Eli knew too.The minute she walked into the room carrying tr
Ava’s POVYep. It’s me again.So… we know who our dad is now.Not in a big dramatic way or anything. Not like how you’d expect it to happen. We just… met him. At the park. Very random, very normal, like it wasn’t supposed to change anything. And honestly, it didn’t. Not really. We didn’t come home and start asking questions or acting differently. We didn’t even bring it up again after that day.It just… stayed there.Like one of those things you know but don’t touch.I remember thinking he was really good at chess. Like, really good. Not just “oh he’s an adult” good, but actually good. The kind where you can tell he’s thinking ten steps ahead. I noticed it, but I didn’t say anything. Eli didn’t either. We both just kind of… stored it.Because we also knew something else.Mom didn’t want us to get close to him.And when it comes to Mom, there are just some lines you don’t cross. Not because she says it out loud, but because you can feel it.So we left it alone.And honestly, we weren’t
Lydia’s POVThat day just refused to end quietly.I was still irritated when I got home, the kind of irritation that sits under your skin and refuses to go away no matter how hard you try to ignore it. Because what exactly was that? I had just seen Dave, casually standing in a mall like his entire world was not collapsing. I thought his company was in chaos, lawsuits flying around, the board removing him as CEO, appointing an acting one, all those corporate politics he used to breathe and live for. So what exactly was he doing here, in this country, walking around like nothing was happening?It annoyed me more than I wanted to admit.I parked the car a little harder than necessary, stepped out, and walked into the house with that same energy still sitting on my shoulders. Before I could even fully step in, I heard Ava’s voice from the kitchen, loud and expectant.“Mom, where’s my yogurt?”“I’m inside already,” I called back. “I’m bringing it.”I picked up the bags and walked faster i
Lydia POVIt was swimming lessons day.I didn’t take them there in the morning, so I had to go pick them up myself. And honestly, if I don’t go, they will remind me in a way that makes it impossible to ignore. Especially Eli. That boy has a way of looking at me like I’ve committed a crime if I’m not present when I’m supposed to be.I drove over there and got there just in time. When I arrived, I saw their trainer immediately, smiling as she approached me.“Hi, Miss Lydia,” she said warmly. “How are you doing? Your kids are doing fantastically well. They’re improving so fast.”I smiled politely, nodding. “Thank you.”Then she added, slightly more serious this time, “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Eli.”That made me pause.What mischief has that boy done now?I just hope it’s something an apology can fix.“Eli?” I repeated. “Okay, I’m listening.”She guided me slightly aside, away from the pool area noise, and I followed her. Then she started explaining that Eli was showing exc
Lydia POVNot even the full headline. Just that one word was enough to make me pause.For a second, I just stared at it, like my brain needed confirmation that I was actually seeing what I thought I was seeing. Then I adjusted the file in my hand and started reading properly.The headline hit first.“Ashton Holdings Faces $1 Billion Penalty Over Massive Data Breach.”My brows pulled together immediately, my posture shifting slightly as I leaned forward. A billion dollars? Not a fine. Not a lawsuit. A penalty.I kept reading.It detailed how one of their biggest clients, a high profile international firm, had entrusted them with sensitive data under strict privacy agreements. Information that was supposed to be untouchable. Secured. Protected.Compromised.Leaked.Exposed.I flipped to the next page quickly, my fingers no longer slow now, my attention locked in.“Confidential Client Data Found on Dark Web Within Hours of Breach.”My stomach tightened.Within hours?That meant this wasn
Lydia POV The first morning back at work felt strange in a way I didn’t expect. Not heavy, not overwhelming, just… loud. My mind wouldn’t sit still. As my car moved steadily through traffic, I rested my head lightly against the seat and watched the city pass by, already thinking of everything waiting for me at the office. Five full days away from my usual workflow, five days of pouring everything into one client, refining, adjusting, reworking, thinking, rethinking… and even though it was worth it, I knew what that meant. Work had piled up. A lot of it. I let out a small breath and reached for my phone, connecting it to the car audio. Fake Bitches by Ashley Kutcher filled the car, and I leaned into it, letting the rhythm settle me. There was something about the blunt honesty of the song that matched my mood perfectly. No pretending. No overthinking. Just… moving. I tapped my fingers lightly against my thigh, nodding along, letting myself enjoy that small moment before reality fully







