For a moment, Brianna forgot to breathe.
Lucas’s laughter still echoed faintly through her AirPods, his voice bright and innocent, far too pure for the sudden stillness that had fallen around her. On the screen, his face filled the frame, dripping wet, smiling, calling her Mommy.
And standing before her, with the same eyes and the same quiet gravity, was the man who could never know that truth.
Jordan Saavedra.
Her hand trembled slightly as she turned her phone downward, her heart skipping unevenly. She forced a brittle smile.
“Sweetheart, I’ve got to go, okay? I’ll call you again tomorrow,” she said quickly, her voice lighter than she intended.
Lucas frowned. “But—”
“I love you,” she cut in, pressing the screen before he could protest further. The call ended with a soft click that
