Tessa eased herself into the chair across from her father, the two of them separated by a sheet of glass. They stared at each other through a long stretch of silence while the sounds of other visits, jangling keys, and guards’ footsteps faded into nothing. It felt like the world had narrowed to just the two of them, divided by years of wounds that never fully healed.Her father slowly lifted his hand, stiff and hesitant, until his palm pressed against the glass right in front of her. The gesture was small and fragile, like a quiet bridge reaching out from his lonely little world.Tessa felt like the worst daughter alive, mostly because she believed she was.Her hand trembled as she raised it and placed it against his. She couldn’t feel his warmth, only the icy surface between them, but even that was enough to break her open. A sob slipped out of her."Dad," she whispered, her voice cracked and soaked with tears she couldn’t hold back anymore. They streamed down her cheeks nonstop. "I'
Last Updated : 2025-12-03 Read more