Lily’s face lit up through her tears. “Daddy!” she cried, reaching for him. “Daddy,
hold me!”
Julian’s eyes brightened, and he foolishly opened his own arms. “That’s right, sweetie. Come to Daddy.”
A low, humorless chuckle cut through the air.
“I’ve never seen a man so eager to be a stepfather,” Adrian said, his voice smoo-
th and dangerous.
Julian’s head snapped toward him. “Who the hell are you?”
Adrian didn’t flinch. If anything, his presence seemed to grow, radiating a quiet, unshakeable authority. “I’m Adrian Hale. Her legal husband,” he said, nodding toward me, “and Lily’s biological father.”
The words “legal husband” and “biological father” struck Julian like a physical blow. He looked Adrian up and down, taking in the bespoke suit, the confident stance, desperately searching for a weakness.
Finding none, he resorted to bluster. “Selling a good story, are you? You’d better be smart and give me my daughter back before my family’s lawyers bury you!”
Adrian simply smiled. “Is that so? Then I welcome you to try. We’ll see you in
court.”
Lily’s face lit up through her tears. “Daddy!” she cried, reaching for him. “Daddy,
hold me!”
Julian’s eyes brightened, and he foolishly opened his own arms. “1. sweetie. Come to Daddy.”
A low, humorless chuckle cut through the air.
Light
“I’ve never seen a man so eager to be a stepfather,” Adrian said, his voice smoo-
th and dangerous.
Julian’s head snapped toward him. “Who the hell are you?”
Adrian didn’t flinch. If anything, his presence seemed to grow, radiating a quiet,
unshakeable authority. “I’m Adrian Hale. Her legal husband,” he said, nodding
toward me, “and Lily’s biological father.”
The words “legal husband” and “biological father” struck Julian like a physical
blow. He looked Adrian up and down, taking in the bespoke suit, the confident
stance, desperately searching for a weakness.
Finding none, he resorted to bluster. “Selling a good story, are you? You’d better
be smart and give me my daughter back before my family’s lawyers bury you!”
Adrian simply smiled. “Is that so? Th
