“We’re doing everything we can, but she needs another surgery, a much more complex one,” Dr. Thomas answered carefully. “I don’t want to alarm you, but I need to be honest. The next forty‑eight hours are critical.”
“Do whatever it takes, doctor,” James responded immediately. “Any procedure, any specialist.”
Dr. Thomas hesitated, a different concern in his gaze.
“There’s another problem, Mr. Carter. The patient doesn’t have adequate health insurance to cover all these procedures. The hospital will do what it can, but—”
“I’ll cover all the costs,” James cut in, without a second of hesitation. “Any treatment she needs. And I want the best this hospital can provide.”
The doctor studied his face for a moment, as if assessing his sincerity.
“All right. In that case, I’ll schedule the surgery for tomorrow morning. I’d like to bring in Dr. Patel from neurology and Dr. Reeves from vascular surgery. They’re the best we have.”
“Do it. And if there are better specialists in other hospitals, don’t hesitate to call them.” James took out a card and handed it to him. “My personal number. Call me any time.”
When the doctor walked away, James returned to sit beside Lily. He looked at her sleeping face, her cheeks still marked by dried tears, her long dark lashes resting against pale skin. How had he not noticed before? The resemblance was too obvious. She had to be his daughter.
What hurt was the question that wouldn’t leave his mind.
Why hadn’t Rebecca told him?
His thoughts were interrupted when Lily stirred, slowly opening her eyes.
“Did Mommy wake up?” she asked groggily.
James gently stroked her hair. “Not yet, sweetheart. The doctors are taking care of her. How about we go to a hotel and get some rest? We’ll come back early tomorrow.”
Lily shook her head, now fully awake.
“I don’t want to leave. What if Mommy wakes up and can’t find me?”
“She won’t wake up tonight, honey. The doctors gave her medicine so she can sleep a lot and heal.” He held her gaze. “You promise we’ll come back soon?”
Her green eyes searched his face, full of distrust and hope.
“I promise,” he said. “And you know what? I think we can stop by a toy store tomorrow. Mr. Bear seems like he might need a friend.”
A small smile appeared on Lily’s face, the first he had seen.
The hotel suite was spacious and luxurious, but to Lily it looked like an alien planet. She walked around the room cautiously, touching things as if she feared they might disappear.
“This place is bigger than our whole apartment,” she said in amazement, exploring the bathroom. “And there’s a huge bathtub.”
James felt a twinge of sadness. Her excitement over things he took for granted spoke volumes about the life she had with Rebecca.
“Do you want to take a bath?” he offered. “You must be tired after such a long day at the hospital.”
The girl hesitated, clutching Mr. Bear tighter.
“I don’t have any clothes here.”
“Oh, I took care of that.” James picked up a shopping bag he’d gotten from the hotel lobby. “I asked the concierge to buy some basics for you. I hope they fit.”
Lily curiously examined the new pajamas, colorful socks, and a unicorn‑print toothbrush.
“You bought all this for me?”
“Of course. We can’t sleep in dirty clothes, can we?”
While preparing Lily’s bath, James realized he had no idea how to take care of a child. Was the water too hot, too cold? Should he leave her alone, or would that be dangerous?
“Do you need help?” he asked hesitantly, standing by the door.
Lily raised her eyebrows as if the question were ridiculous.
“I’ve been bathing myself since I was three,” she said proudly. “Mommy only helps me wash my hair sometimes.”
“Right. I’ll be nearby if you need anything.”
While Lily bathed, James made several phone calls. First to his assistant, cancelling all his appointments for the week. Then to his lawyer, asking him to discreetly look into Rebecca’s and Lily’s legal situation.
“There’s a birth certificate for Lily Morgan,” the lawyer reported later that night. “Father listed as unknown. Your friend is two months behind on rent for a small apartment in Queens. The car destroyed in the accident was financed and overdue. There are several small personal loans.”
James closed his eyes, feeling the weight of every word.
“Take care of all of it,” he ordered quietly. “Pay off the debts, cover the rent a year in advance if needed, and see if you can retrieve any personal items of theirs from the apartment. Clothes, documents, anything sentimental.”
“Understood. Do you plan to file for paternity?”
James hesitated.
“Not yet. I need to speak with Rebecca first. But prepare whatever documents might be needed, just in case.”
When Lily emerged from the bathroom in her new pajamas, her hair still damp, she looked like a different child. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes brighter, and she seemed more relaxed.
“I’m hungry,” she announced, climbing onto the king‑size bed like it was a mountain.
James checked the clock. It was past one in the morning.
“Let’s order room service. What do you like to eat?”
“Mac and cheese,” she answered immediately. “And ice cream for dessert.”
James smiled, picking up the phone. “Mac and cheese and ice cream it is.”
While they waited for the food, Lily drew on a hotel notepad. James watched, amazed by her skill at such a young age. She drew a woman with red hair, a brown teddy bear, and a small girl standing between them.
“You draw very well,” he said sincerely.
Lily shrugged, focused on her artwork.
“Mommy says I have talent. She gives me colored pencils for Christmas and on my birthday.”
James made a mental note to buy her a professional art set as soon as possible.
“What else do you like to do besides drawing?” he asked.
Lily thought for a moment.
“I like it when Mommy reads me stories. And I like going to the park near our place. Sometimes we play hide‑and‑seek there when Mommy’s not too tired from work.”
“Where does your mom work?”
“She works in two places,” Lily answered, now sketching what looked like a building. “By day, she’s at a store that sells fancy clothes. At night, she works at a restaurant serving food. On weekends, Mrs. Daniels stays with me.”
The image of Rebecca working two jobs to support her daughter made James feel a mix of guilt and anger. Guilt for not being there to help. Anger because she had never given him the chance to be a father.
Room service arrived, interrupting his thoughts. Lily devoured her mac and cheese, soon smearing cheese on her cheeks.
“This is the best mac and cheese in the world,” she declared between bites. “Can we bring some to Mommy when she wakes up?”
“Of course. We can bring her anything she wants to eat.”
After their improvised dinner, Lily started to yawn. Exhaustion finally overcame the long, chaotic day.
“Time to sleep, little one,” James said.
She didn’t protest. When he tucked her in, Lily looked at him with a seriousness that didn’t match her age.
“Are you really going to stay with me until Mommy wakes up?”
“Yes, Lily. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise?”
“I promise,” he answered, feeling the weight of that word. It was a promise he intended to keep, not just now, but for the rest of his life.
Lily smiled, snuggling up with Mr. Bear.
“Good night, James.”
“Good night, Lily.”
Minutes later, she was asleep. James watched her for a long time, both amazed and terrified by the sudden responsibility that had landed on his shoulders. He had a daughter, or something very close to it, and he’d had no idea.
Morning brought new challenges. Lily woke up crying, momentarily confused about where she was. James calmed her as best he could, reminding her of the night before, of the waffles and the promise to see her mother.
“Are we going to see Mommy now?” she asked as soon as she finished breakfast.
“Yes. And today the doctors will tell us more about how she’s doing.”
Back at New York General, they found Dr. Thomas waiting for them.
“Rebecca needs another surgery,” he explained. “A more complex one. We’ll have Dr. Patel from neurology and Dr. Reeves from vascular surgery in the operating room. And…” He hesitated. “We found a mass on one of the scans. It might not be related to the accident. We need to investigate during the procedure.”
James felt his stomach drop.
“What do you think it could be?”
“We can’t say yet,” the doctor replied. “We’ll do a biopsy during surgery and send it for analysis.”
Another complication. Another reason to worry.
“Do whatever you have to,” James said. “Just help her.”
The hours that followed were some of the longest of his life. To distract Lily, he took her to the hospital cafeteria for hot chocolate, bought coloring books from the gift shop, and taught her tic‑tac‑toe on napkins. She drew another picture—three figures holding hands.
“Who are they?” he asked.
“It’s us,” she said simply. “Me, Mommy, and you. When she gets better.”
Her answer caught him off guard. In less than twenty‑four hours, Lily was already including him in her little family.
By late afternoon, Dr. Thomas returned with Dr. Patel.
“She pulled through, Mr. Carter,” he announced. “The surgery was successful. We removed the damaged spleen, controlled the bleeding, and her brain pressure is stable.”
James had to sit down, the relief so intense it made him dizzy.
“And the other issue?” he asked.
Dr. Patel nodded, understanding.
“We were able to remove enough tissue for analysis. We’ll have the results in a few days, but I’m cautiously optimistic. The mass has benign characteristics.”
James exhaled slowly, tension draining from his shoulders.
“When will she wake up?”
“We’ve kept Rebecca in a medically induced coma for now. Her brain needs time to recover from the trauma. We’ll probably start reducing sedation in forty‑eight hours if all goes well.”
“And can we see her?” James asked.
The doctor hesitated.
“She’s in the ICU. Visiting hours are restricted.” He looked at Lily, sitting in the waiting room chair, hugging Mr. Bear. “But I can make a quick exception for the girl. It might be good for her to see her mom, even unconscious.”
Lily woke fully as soon as she heard she could see her mother.
“Is she okay now?” she asked hopefully.
“Not fully yet,” James explained gently. “She’s still sleeping because of the medicine, but the doctors took care of all her injuries and she’ll wake up soon.”
In the ICU, Rebecca lay hooked up to various machines. Her face, pale and swollen, showed bruises and cuts. Her head was partially bandaged, tubes leading from her mouth and nose.
Lily squeezed James’s hand tightly.
“Why does Mommy look like that?” she whispered, frightened.
“These machines help her breathe and get better,” James explained, kneeling beside her. “It looks scary, but they’re helping. Right now she’s resting so her body can heal.”
Lily approached the bed hesitantly and carefully touched Rebecca’s hand.
“Hi, Mommy,” she said softly. “It’s Lily. I brought Mr. Bear to take care of you, and James is taking care of us.”
The simplicity of those words made James turn his face away to hide the tears finally escaping.
The days that followed took on a strange rhythm. James split his time between Rebecca’s room, where she lay sleeping, and the small world he created with Lily. The company could wait. The outside world could wait. Nothing seemed more important than those white walls, the constant beeping of monitors, and the green eyes that met him every morning with a trust he never imagined he deserved.
Breakfast at the hotel. Lily insisted on round pancakes—never square. Then hot chocolate at the hospital cafeteria, another ritual James dared not break. In the mornings, they stayed by Rebecca’s bedside. Lily talked to her mother about everything they’d done the day before, showing drawings and describing the new books James read to her, all with heartbreaking naturalness. James handled conversations with doctors and specialists and checked every test result he was allowed to see.
The biopsy results came back. The mass in Rebecca’s brain was a small benign tumor, something that could be treated later. It wasn’t an immediate threat. For now, the focus was her recovery from the accident.
In the afternoons, while nurses cared for Rebecca, James took Lily out. They explored Central Park, visited the Central Park Zoo, and even went to a children’s show on Broadway when a nurse insisted it would be good for Lily to have a day that felt normal.
At night, after dinner at the hotel, came James’s favorite moment—story time. He had never been particularly creative, but discovered he could invent entire worlds to entertain Lily.
“Princess Lily and her loyal squire Mr. Bear crossed the enchanted bridge,” he narrated, while Lily watched with bright eyes, snuggled under the blankets. “On the other side, she couldn’t believe what she saw…”
“What did she see?” Lily asked.
“A garden full of talking flowers that shared secrets about how the stars shine and why the moon changes shape,” he said.
Little moments like these built a bridge between them, piece by piece, day by day. At some point, James realized Lily had stopped asking when Mrs. Daniels would come pick her up or when she’d go back to her old apartment. The hotel room, which had seemed strange at first, was now simply “our room.”
One night, during a strong storm, James woke to the sound of timid footsteps.
“James?” Lily’s small voice called from the darkness. “Can I sleep here? The noise is scaring Mr. Bear.”
He smiled, shifting to make room for her.
“Of course. Come on up.”
Lily climbed into the bed, bringing her teddy bear and the faint scent of children’s shampoo. Within seconds, she fell asleep with her head resting on his arm.
James stayed awake, watching her, feeling a mix of fear and gratitude. It was frightening how easily a child gave her trust. And humbling to know she believed, without question, that he would be there.
In the third week, Dr. Thomas asked James for a word.
“We’re gradually reducing the sedation,” he explained. “Rebecca should start showing signs of consciousness in the next few days.”
“Will she be all right? No lasting effects?” James asked.
“The brain is unpredictable,” the doctor said. “The trauma was significant, but recent scans look promising. Still, be prepared for a slow recovery.”
James nodded, feeling both relief and apprehension. What would happen when Rebecca woke up? How would she react to seeing him there, caring for Lily—who almost certainly was his child?
On Rebecca’s twenty‑third day in the hospital, James sat beside her bed while Lily drew quietly at a small table. He held Rebecca’s hand, a gesture that had become part of their routine, when he felt a faint movement. It had happened before—normal muscle reflexes, the doctors had said.
But then came another movement. Stronger. And another.
The heart monitor began to show changes in her rhythm.
“Lily,” James called softly. “Go get the nurse. Quick.”
The girl dropped her pencils and ran into the corridor. James gently squeezed Rebecca’s hand.
“Rebecca, can you hear me?” he whispered.
A slight furrow appeared between her brows. Her eyelids fluttered.
“I’m here,” James murmured. “You’re safe. Lily is fine.”
At the mention of her daughter’s name, Rebecca seemed to react more strongly. Her fingers tightened around his with surprising strength.
Slowly, her eyes began to open. Confused, unfocused, the blue eyes he knew so well wandered over the ceiling before finding his face.
There was a moment of pure incomprehension followed by a flash of recognition that made the heart monitor spike.
“James.” Her voice came out rough, barely audible. “What’s going on?”
He felt a knot in his throat.
“You had an accident, Rebecca. You’ve been in the hospital for over three weeks.”
She blinked slowly, absorbing the information.
“Lily?” Panic rose in her eyes. “Where is my Lily?”
“She’s okay,” he said quickly. “She’s here at the hospital. She just went to call the nurse. She wasn’t seriously hurt.”
The relief on Rebecca’s face was so profound it brought tears to his own eyes. Even confused and in pain, her first thought was for her daughter.
The nurse entered, followed by Dr. Thomas and Lily, who looked ready to burst with excitement.
“Mommy!” she cried, rushing to the bed.
“Careful, sweetheart,” the nurse said gently, holding her back. “Your mom is still weak. Let’s run some tests first.”
“Okay,” Lily nodded, though clearly impatient.
James stepped away to give the doctors space, taking Lily with him into the corridor.
“Mommy woke up,” the girl repeated, jumping for joy. “Is she coming home now?”
James knelt to meet her eyes.
“Not yet, little one. She still needs to stay in the hospital until she’s fully better. But this is a really good sign.”
Lily nodded and threw her arms around his neck.
“Thank you for staying with us, James. You’re the best Mommy‑friend I’ve ever met.”
The innocent compliment made him smile, even as he felt a pang at the thought that soon he’d have to explain to Lily that he was more than just Mommy’s friend.
After nearly an hour of tests, Dr. Thomas finally allowed them to return to the room.
“Rebecca is conscious and oriented, which is excellent,” he explained. “However, she’s still very weak and confused. There might be some memory gaps around the accident, which is normal. Go slowly. Don’t overwhelm her with too much information.”
When they entered, they found Rebecca with the bed slightly raised. Color was starting to return to her cheeks, and her eyes, though tired, were more focused now.
“Mommy!” Lily ran to her, stopping at the bedside, unsure how to hug her without causing pain.
Rebecca raised a trembling hand and stroked her daughter’s face.
“My love,” she whispered. “Are you really okay? You weren’t hurt?”
“Just a tiny scratch,” Lily said, showing her arm where the bandage from the day of the accident had once been. “I was so brave, wasn’t I, James?”
Rebecca looked at James, and something in her gaze changed. There was gratitude, but also confusion, perhaps even fear.
“James has been taking care of me,” Lily continued, oblivious to the tension. “We’re staying in a huge hotel with a bathtub and everything. He bought me a bunch of new clothes and colored pencils and Miss Whiskers, and we went to the zoo three times.”
Rebecca listened, her expression a mixture of relief and growing alarm.
“Lily, honey,” James gently cut in. “Why don’t you show Mommy that special drawing you made yesterday?”
The girl nodded eagerly and ran to her backpack to fetch the sketchbook.
When she moved away, Rebecca turned to James.
“How long?” she asked quietly.
“Twenty‑three days,” he answered, knowing what she meant. “I’ve been taking care of Lily since the accident.”
Rebecca closed her eyes briefly, as though trying to process it all.
“Why?” she finally asked.
A simple question. Three letters carrying the weight of five years of absence.
“Because she needed someone,” James replied carefully. “And because she’s my daughter, isn’t she?”
Rebecca’s eyes opened wide, filled with a fear he’d never seen before.
“James, I—”
“Look, Mommy!” Lily came running back with a colorful drawing in her hands. “It’s our family. Me, you, James, Mr. Bear, and Miss Whiskers.”
The drawing showed five figures holding hands—a red‑haired woman, a small girl, a tall man, and two vaguely bear‑like animals, all smiling under a big yellow sun.
Rebecca took the drawing with trembling hands, studying it for a long moment.
“It’s beautiful, sweetheart,” she said at last, her voice hoarse. “You drew it so well.”
“James bought me professional colored pencils,” Lily said proudly. “They’re the same ones real artists use.”
Rebecca gave James a quick glance. Gratitude mingled with something more complicated he couldn’t decipher.
“That’s very kind of him,” she said, adjusting herself in bed with a grimace of pain.
“Are you all right?” James asked, automatically stepping closer.
“Just tired,” Rebecca replied, though it was clear there was more. “And confused.”
Lily climbed onto the chair next to the bed.
“Want me to tell you everything we did while you were asleep, Mommy?”
James knew Lily would want to tell every detail. He also knew Rebecca needed rest.
“Sure, honey,” Rebecca said softly. “Tell me everything.”
As Lily chattered about her adventures of the last weeks, James watched Rebecca. She listened genuinely, smiling at the right moments, asking little questions. But her eyes flicked to him from time to time—cautious, worried.
There were so many unanswered questions between them, so many explanations needed.
A nurse eventually returned.
“Time for your medication, Ms. Morgan. The patient needs to rest now.”
Lily pouted. “But I haven’t told her about the penguins.”
“You can tell her tomorrow,” James promised. “She needs her sleep to get strong again.”
“You’re going to get better soon, right, Mommy?” Lily asked seriously. “So we can go home… our new home.”
Rebecca shot James a questioning look.
“Lily, sweetheart,” James suggested gently, “why don’t you wait outside with the nurse for a minute? I need to tell your mom something quickly.”
Reluctant but obedient, Lily followed the nurse into the hallway.
Once alone, an uneasy silence settled over the room.
“You told her?” Rebecca finally asked.
“About…? No,” James said. “I figured that should come from you. Or from both of us together.”
She nodded, dropping her gaze to her hands.
“Thank you for taking care of her,” she murmured. “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay—”
“I don’t want repayment,” James interrupted, sharper than he intended. He took a breath, steadying his voice. “I want an explanation, Rebecca. I want to understand why you disappeared. Why you never told me about Lily.”
Rebecca seemed to shrink against the pillows.
“It’s complicated.”
“We have time now,” he replied quietly. “We have all the time in the world.”
She closed her eyes, a single tear escaping down her cheek.
“Not today, James. Please. I can barely keep my thoughts together. Everything feels distant, confusing.”
He wanted to push. He needed answers to the questions that had haunted him for weeks. But her fragility was obvious. Pushing now would be cruel.
“All right,” he said at last. “But we need to talk, Rebecca. About the past. And about the future.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I know.”
PART 3
The next days were a cautious dance. Rebecca gained strength little by little. Every morning, doctors checked her reflexes, speech, and memory. Every afternoon, physical therapy pushed her to stand, to take steps, to reclaim a body that no longer obeyed as easily as before.
During those therapy sessions, when James and Lily weren’t around, Rebecca finally had time to think clearly. Memories returned in fragments: college corridors, late‑night study sessions with James, stolen kisses in campus courtyards, the painful meeting with his father, the move to Chicago, Lily’s birth, nights spent soothing a crying baby in a tiny apartment.
And now, James again—standing at her bedside, taking care of their daughter like he’d been doing it all his life.
When she returned from therapy one afternoon, she found James alone in the room. Lily was in the hospital playroom with other kids, under a volunteer’s supervision.
“How was the session?” he asked, helping her back into bed.
“Tiring but productive,” she replied, avoiding his eyes. “The doctors think I might be discharged next week.”
“That’s good,” he said, pulling the blanket up to her waist. “You’ll feel better away from all these machines.”
An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. So much remained unsaid it felt like a physical weight in the room.
“Rebecca,” James finally said, taking the chair by her bed. “We need to talk. Not just about Lily, but about us. About what happened five years ago.”
Her fingers twisted the sheet.
“I know.”
“You just disappeared,” he continued, hurt evident in his voice. “One day we were planning a life together, and the next you were gone. No explanation. No note. Nothing.”
Rebecca stared at her hands.
“I know I owe you an explanation.”
“Yes,” he said. “You do. Not just to me, but to Lily. Do you have any idea what I felt when I saw you in this hospital? When I realized I had a four‑year‑old daughter I’d never met?”
Guilt hit Rebecca like a blow. The tears she’d been holding back slowly spilled over.
“You think it was easy for me?” Her voice rose more than she intended. “You think I decided to shut you out of her life on a whim?”
“I don’t know what to think,” James admitted, frustration breaking through. “That’s why I’m asking. What reason could be strong enough for you to hide my own daughter from me for four years?”
Rebecca wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
“Your father,” she finally said, the words heavy as stone. “It was because of your father.”
James frowned, confused.
“My father? What does he have to do with this?”
Rebecca took a deep breath, summoning the courage to reveal the truth she’d carried alone for so long.
“He never approved of our relationship. You knew that,” she said. “What you didn’t know is that he came to see me the day before I left.”
James stared at her.
“What? How?”
“He found me outside the college,” she said. “Said he wanted to talk. At first I thought maybe he finally wanted to get to know me. That he wanted to accept our relationship.”
She let out a bitter laugh.
“How naive I was.”
“What did he do?” James asked, his jaw tight.
“He offered me money,” Rebecca said, voice trembling but firm. “A lot of money to vanish from your life. He said I was getting in the way of your future. That you needed to focus on the family business, not some dead‑end romance with a girl without the right background.”
James’s face twisted in shock and outrage.
“He did that?” he whispered. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You think I didn’t want to?” she shot back. “I ran to the phone as soon as I left that café. But then he said something that stopped me.”
“What?”
“He said you already knew,” she whispered. “That you two had talked about me. About how I was holding you back. That you agreed to end things but didn’t have the courage to do it yourself. He said he was just helping you.”
James stood abruptly, raking his hands through his hair in despair.
“That’s a lie. An absurd lie. I would never have said anything like that.”
“I know that now,” Rebecca said softly. “But at the time, it felt like everything he said fit. You’d been distant, always busy with your father’s projects, canceling our dates.”
“Because he was overloading me on purpose,” James said, realization dawning. “He set it all up.”
Rebecca nodded sadly.
“Did you take the money?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.
She shook her head, eyes flashing.
“Never. I told him off. I said horrible things. I don’t think anyone had ever spoken to the great Richard Carter like that before.”
Despite the situation, James couldn’t help a brief, grim smile.
“I can imagine.”
“But then I realized,” she went on, her smile fading, “he would never leave us alone. He’d always find ways to interfere, to push me away. And I… I couldn’t bear it if you started to doubt me. To believe what he was saying.”
“So you decided to leave,” James said quietly.
“Yes,” she whispered. “That night I took what little I had and left for Chicago, where my aunt lived.”
She stared at a spot on the blanket.
“Two months later, I found out I was pregnant.”
James sank back into the chair, the weight of her words pressing on him.
“Why didn’t you contact me then?” he asked. “Lily is my daughter, Rebecca.”
“I thought about coming back,” she admitted. “So many times. I even picked up the phone to call you. But then I saw news about you—about how your family’s company was thriving under your leadership. I saw pictures of you at events with other women, all the ‘right’ type.” She made air quotes with her fingers. “And I wondered… what if your father was right? What if you really didn’t want me in your life anymore?”
“That was never true,” James said, pain in every word. “I looked for you for months.”
“You hired private detectives who somehow never found me,” Rebecca pointed out. “Even though I never changed my last name or really hid.”
James felt a chill run down his spine.
“You think my father—”
“Intercepted any attempt you made to find me?” she finished. “It wouldn’t surprise me. Considering everything else he did.”
James stood again, unable to sit still. He paced the room, trying to absorb it all.
“How much did we lose because of one lie?” he murmured. “How happy could we have been if I’d known the truth?”
Rebecca watched him through tears.
“When Lily was born,” she went on, “I thought about calling you again. She looked so much like you. Same eyes. Same stubborn chin.”
James turned back to her, his expression softening.
“Why didn’t you?”
“Fear,” Rebecca said simply. “Afraid your father might do something worse. Afraid you had moved on and didn’t want complications. Afraid you wouldn’t believe she was yours. And as time passed, it just got harder to imagine explaining my disappearance.”
James moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed. He gently took her hand in his.
“I can’t change the past,” he said, looking into her eyes. “I can’t erase the years we lost or the nights you stayed up alone with our daughter. But I can make sure my father never interferes in our lives again. I want to be part of Lily’s life, Rebecca. I want to be in both of your lives.”
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