whispered, their pitying glances feeling like physical blows.

ant finally approached me

ftly. "Mr. Peterson... h

uldn't break any further, sh

nued, unable to meet my eyes. "He's already on his

rned to ice. Germany

ushing weight that made it hard to breathe

on her social media. It was a picture of her hand, intertwined

was a smug,

, no one can

cause that very same night, I got a call from m

preg

tion for the next day. I would end the pregnancy, call off the h

e rang. It was Mrs. Peterson. She must have heard wh

e baby. Don't give up on Ryan. Give

Our families went way back. Her persistent, tearful persuasion wo

h to our ch

Peterson mansion. I waited. I waited for Ryan to return from abro

e would come back, that he would see our beautiful daughter, and th

he news I had been waiting for. R

le as it was,

s only coming back because Jessica had told him she was ti

me from Germany before they lef

. "The trauma was severe. She can't stand hearing anyone cal

ook at pictures of her father her whole life? When she saw him in person for t

led him

ord enraged him. It almost

spital corridor, I finally, finally re

ad never once thought of co

w... the only one trapped in that