Page 123 of Broken Destiny

“Of course,Didi.”

I walked toward the backyard, and the sight that greeted me made my heart pause.

The dogs were sprawled lazily beside Caleb and Emma, their tails wagging contentedly as they watched the two of them play.

Emma sat cross-legged on the grass with her tiny teacups and plastic plates arranged neatly in front of her, fully immersed in her imaginary world.

Caleb sat beside her, patient and completely engaged, holding one of the toy cups carefully between his fingers as if it were made of fine china.

“Our tea is ready,” Emma announced.

“Thank you,” he replied solemnly, lifting the tiny cup to his lips and pretending to sip.

The tenderness in that moment pierced straight through my heart.

Our daughter.

“Hi,” I said softly.

He turned toward me immediately, his gaze warm, as though he had been waiting for me to appear.

In that instant, I knew what I had to do.

Caleb deserved to know Emma was his daughter.

I could not carry the secret alone any longer. I needed to be honest with him about Emma…and about my feelings.

“Emma, time for your bathy and then dinner,” I called out, walking toward them.

“But it’s teatime, Mama,” Emma pouted, clutching her doll tightly.

“It’s almost dinner time, sweetheart,” I said, taking her small hand in mine. “We don’t want to keep Pappy Jack waiting now, do we?”

Emma shook her head obediently, and Caleb rose to his feet, following us inside.

After giving Emma her bath and dressing her, I checked on Lucas.

He had already showered and was now keeping Caleb company. Geeta was getting ready, so I decided to take a shower and get dressed as well.

The warm water eased some of the stiffness in my shoulder, but once I stepped out and began dressing, I realized how difficult even simple movements had become without Geeta’s help while my arm remained trapped in a sling.

Pulling my clothes into place, each motion sent a dull ache through my shoulder that forced me to slow down and steady my breathing.

When I finally finished, I noticed that the bandage on my head had loosened. Standing in front of the mirror with my back to the door, I tried to adjust it carefully, wincing when the edge lifted away from my skin.

I was about to call Geeta when I heard a knock on my door.

“Come in!” I called out, thankful that she had somehow read my mind and come to check on me. “Can you help me with the bandage? It came loose in the shower, and my arm is hurting.”

A soft sound behind me made me turn.

Caleb stood near the doorway.

“Oh, sorry,” I said quickly, feeling heat rush to my cheeks. “I... um?—”

“I can help you with it if that’s okay,” he said, his voice low.

Unease twisted in my stomach as I searched for a way to declinethe offer, even as another part of me desperately wished he would stay close.