They took me away. Cut me off from everything connected to that life—including you.”
My hands trembled as I read, tears filling my eyes.
“I didn’t get to say goodbye. And I didn’t get to tell you that you were a father.
Our daughter grew up strong. Kind. She has your heart.”
“After our brief night together in high school… I became pregnant.”
The words blurred for a moment before I forced myself to focus again. I stopped and looked up at Mia. She—and the others—watched me closely, waiting. I lowered my gaze back to the letter
“I told myself I was protecting you. That I was giving you the chance to live a different life.
But the truth is… I was afraid. If I ever had the chance, I would have told you everything. I would have told you I never stopped loving you. You deserved to know that. If you’re reading this now… I’m sorry it took so long.
And I hope, somehow, you found your way to us.
—Charlotte.”
“I told myself I was protecting you.”
A tear slipped down before I could stop it. Nine faces stared back at me, waiting.
I lowered the letter slowly, then stood and walked toward Mia.
“You knew?” I asked quietly.
She nodded. “We figured it out when we read the letters. But we didn’t know how to tell you.”
I looked at her—and suddenly, everything made sense. The way she carried herself, the way she sometimes looked at me, like something unspoken existed between us.
“You knew?”
