What My Boyfriend’s Daughter Taught Me One Quiet Night

“If you want me to keep watching her regularly, I can’t do it for free anymore.”

The words came out more bluntly than I intended. He looked surprised, almost hurt. He nodded slowly, agreeing, but I could feel the air shift between us.

It wasn’t just about money—it was about what money represented. An invisible wall had gone up. Where there had once been ease, there was now formality. Where there had been trust, there was now distance.

That Friday evening, he dropped his daughter off as usual. But the silence between us lingered long after he left.

A Small Voice in the Dark

Later that night, I curled up on the couch with a book, trying to quiet the nagging guilt in my chest. The apartment was quiet, save for the ticking of the clock on the wall.

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