Seraphina’s POV
The words hit like a physical blow.
My brain stuttered. Stopped. Tried to restart.
Bakery. The bakery. That day. That little girl with mismatched shoes who’d run up to and called —
Oh God.
That was Lily.
That little girl who’d wrapped her arms around my legs. Who’d looked up at with those impossible eyes and called mama. Who’d cried when I said I wasn’t her mother.
That was my daughter.
And I’d told her I wasn’t her mother.
The room tilted sideways. My knees went weak. I grabbed the back of the couch to keep from collapsing.
The mory crashed over . Her small face looking up. Those words—*You have forest eyes. That’s what Daddy says.*
And I’d rejected her.
"Sera?" Damien’s voice cut through the roaring in my ears. "Are you—"
I couldn’t answer. Couldn’t speak. Couldn’t do anything but stare at this little girl who was bouncing with excitent.
This little girl I’d pushed away on a street corner while she cried.
Lily was still talking. Her words coming fast. Excited. "I told you, Daddy! I told you it was really her! She has the black hair and the green eyes and everything!"
She spun back to . Her whole face glowing.
And I wanted to die.
Wanted the floor to open up and swallow whole.
Because she was happy. So impossibly happy. Looking at like I was everything she’d ever wanted.
And I’d made her cry. I’d told her to leave. I’d—
*Move. Do sothing. Say sothing.*
My body finally listened. I dropped to my knees. Right there on the living room floor.
The impact sent pain shooting through my legs. I barely felt it.
"Lily." Her na ca out broken. Wet. "Baby, I—"
I held out my arms. Shaking. Desperate.
"Yes." The word cracked. "Yes, I’m your mama. I’m your mama and I—" A sob caught in my throat. "Can I hug you? Please? Can I—"
Lily’s smile vanished.
Her whole body went rigid. Her eyes—those beautiful ocean eyes—went wide.
Then she moved.
Backward. Fast. Stumbling over her own feet.
Right into Damien’s legs.
She grabbed his jeans. Held on tight. Peeked out from behind him like he was a shield.
"You’re not my mama." Her voice was small now. Uncertain. "You said you weren’t my mama."
The words were a knife to the chest.
"I know." Tears stread down my face. I couldn’t stop them. "I know I said that, baby, but I—"
"You said you had your own kids!" Lily’s voice got louder. Hurt bleeding through. "You said they were far away! You said—"
"I lied." The confession tore out of . "I’m sorry. I lied. I was scared and I—"
"Why?" She stepped further behind Damien. Her face crumpling. "Why did you lie?"
"I didn’t know it was you." My hands were still outstretched. Still reaching for her. "I didn’t know you were my baby. I didn’t—"
"But I told you!" Tears filled her eyes now. "I told you I was looking for my mama! I told you everything!"
"Why didn’t you want to be my mama?" She looked up at . Tears streaming. "Am I bad? Did I do sothing wrong?"
"No!" The word exploded out. "No, baby, no. You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re perfect. You’re—"
Each word was a nail in my coffin.
"I’m sorry." It was all I could say. All I had left. "I’m so sorry, Lily."
She looked at for a long mont. Then at Damien. Then back at .
"Are you going to leave again?"
The question hit like a bomb.
"I—" I looked up at Damien. He was staring down at Lily. His jaw tight. His eyes unreadable.
"Are you?" Lily pressed. "Because if you’re going to leave, I don’t want to be friends. I don’t want to like you. Because then it’ll hurt when you go."
My heart shattered.
This tiny person. This three-year-old who’d already learned that loving soone ant risking loss.
"I’m not going anywhere." The words ca out fierce. Desperate. "I’m staying. I promise."
Footsteps in the hallway made us all freeze.
Slow. Hesitant.
I knew those footsteps. Knew them in my bones even though they were heavier now. Older.
He appeared in the doorway.
Adrian.
So much taller than I rembered. His hair longer. His face losing that baby softness. Glasses perched on his nose that he definitely hadn’t had three years ago.
His backpack hung from one shoulder. His school uniform slightly wrinkled. One shoelace untied.
He stopped when he saw .
Just stopped. Frozen in the doorway.
Our eyes t.
And I saw it. Everything. All at once.
Recognition. Shock. Disbelief.
His face crumpled. His eyes filled with tears.
"Adrian." His na broke coming out. "Baby, I—"
He dropped his backpack. It hit the floor with a thud.
I stood up. Too fast. The room spun.
He Just stood there. Crying. Looking at with those devastated eyes.
Then he said the words that shattered what was left of my heart.
"Why did you leave?" His voice broke. "Why didn’t you want anymore?"
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