She looked at me, devastated.
“I already said yes. I thought I had to protect you.”
My heart shattered.
I held her face gently. “Listen to me. No job is worth losing you. You are my world.”
Then I said the words that mattered most:
“Leave this to me.”
⸻
A few hours later, someone pounded on the front door.
Grace froze. “Dad… that’s him.”
I opened the door.
Chase stood there in a designer jacket and sunglasses, even though it was dark. Confidence radiated from him like he owned the place.
“Move,” he said. “We’re late.”
“You’re not coming inside.”
He laughed. “Still playing daddy?”
He spotted Grace behind me and pointed.
“Come on. Cameras are waiting. You’re my redemption story.”
