Chapter 118

• “Son.” The word hung in the air like a ghost, haunting them both. Charlotte squeezed her eyes shut, battling the rush of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. All of the decisions she had made—not just in the past few months but leading up to this moment—played through her mind like a relentless reel. “I didn’t know how to tell you,” she finally managed, each syllable a struggle. “You weren’t just someone I was involved with. You were…you are so much more than that. I didn’t want to lose you.”
• For a moment, Damien stood silent, his eyes softening as the weight of her admission settled in. But the shadow of anger lingered, intertwined with hurt. “What did you think would happen, Charlotte? That this would all just go away if you kept it hidden?” He ran a hand through his hair, frustration spilling over into every corner of the room. “He deserves to know who I am. We both do.”
• She felt the tears welling up, but she fought them back with sheer will—she couldn’t let him see her break completely, not now. “I thought I could protect him from a life torn between parents who couldn’t figure out how to be together.” Her voice cracked, but she pressed on. “I wanted to give him a normal childhood.”