Michael’s legs shook as he approached the door and knocked.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Hannah stood there.
His ex-wife. Pale, nervous, very much alive.
The air left his lungs.
Inside, in a small living room, two little girls sat on a couch—wide-eyed, clutching each other, uncertain and frightened.
Ava and Lily.
Real. Present. Looking back at him.
Michael dropped to his knees. Emotion surged through him—relief, shock, joy, and a wave of ache for the years lost.
“Dad?” Ava whispered.
They didn’t remember him.
The Cost of Secrets
Hannah, trembling, tried to explain. She had been overwhelmed by pressure, old debts, and people who frightened her. Believing she couldn’t protect the girls, she had accepted help from someone who encouraged her to disappear. In the confusion that followed, official records were muddled, and Michael was left believing the worst without clear information.
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