Chapter 96. I Almost Stayed

2024

Amelia’s POV

I flinched at Adrian’s request to explain, stepping back as if the distance could somehow stop the way my heart slammed against my ribcage. His hands twitched at his sides like he wanted to reach for me but didn’t dare. He stopped instantly, his face tight with regret.

My throat felt dry, each word scraping against it like sandpaper. “You have a daughter.” It wasn’t a question. Just a fact.

Adrian’s jaw clenched. The muscles in his neck tightened as he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Yes.”

The admission knocked the breath from my lungs. I squeezed my eyes shut, shaking my head. I couldn’t process it. Couldn’t wrap my head around what I’d just seen. “How long?” I whispered, voice cracking. “How old is she?”

Adrian hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet. “She’ll be six in October.”

My fingers curled into fists, nails biting into my palms. “You’ve had a daughte