Chapter 52. No Matter What

Isabel’s POV

I turn to face Scarlett, forcing a smile as I bend to her level. “Honey,” I begin gently, “but Uncle Roy isn’t your real dad. So how can he be your daddy?”

Scarlett blinks, scratching her little fingers through her curls, the same way she does when she’s thinking hard. She takes a breath, letting herself sink deeper into the chair. “Then where’s our real dad?” she asks softly.

The question hits like a weight in my chest. I let out a sigh—a deep, lingering sigh that leaves me with my mouth half open, words caught somewhere I can’t reach.

I rub a hand over my forehead, feeling the tension coil there, and close my eyes for a brief moment. When I open them, Scarlett’s small hand slips into mine, her voice soft but insistent.

“Then… Uncle Roy can just be our daddy, right?” He