the door an

athing air that still smelled like him-leather, mint, an

fear. No, fear had long been replaced

was

use he c

ill managed to shake the wall

ft voice call

urned q

way, hugging her purple

d like y

t and open

o them withou

d into her daughter's curls

brows furrowed. "Wa

ed deeper than any

w the truth, but because the truth was no

ink that?" she

at me like Miss Becky looks at her

blinke

ed about her father. But it was the fi

soon, okay? But for now, just know that Mummy loves yo

or now. "Okay. Can I show

rt clenched

. "Maybe. But only if

ical sigh. "Grown-u

But it didn't

nita sat alone in the study, the photo of baby Clar

e why she kept

rock a crying infant with one arm while typing up pitch decks with the other. A woman who cried in

e front door

at the tim

eart

could

the door

od there, holding

Callister

took it with

dress. Only one word, written

ed it ca

opy of a compl

crawled across t

already

ays. N

d the t

hour

numb. Beneath it was

ing you to b

deserves two parents who are brave e

Z

d the fol

faster than

her more than his

low, a single photograph of Clara on the table beside him. He

smilin

nnocent

he hadn't worn s

lf a drink and

about comf

ed games wi

learning how

cross from her legal counse

she said calmly, her fingers wra

brows raised. "Is he

the problem. He's not th

dded. "And th

I prepared for r

he DNA confirms paternity. But so do you. Your history with him, es

ttle," Anita said. "Clar

at do yo

o stay in control. I want to protect her. And... I w

idn't speak

strategic. Not

a no

the lounge and back into

wn nu

st didn'

er gut told her th

el

pa

he hadn't hear

t

rs

mo

We need