TOO EASY TO FALL TOO HARD TO LET GO

Brielle’s POV I couldn’t shake Savannah’s words from my mind. “You are old enough to know the truth about your birth,” she had said during lunch today. The statement echoed within me with every heartbeat. I remember the look on my face when she said this to me. I had never thought about it until she mentioned. “Yeah, I’m not a child anymore.” I had replied her while gazing into space, letting those words sink deep. Now I couldn’t get it off my mind. Junior year might still classify me as young, but I was far from naive. I had every right to know about my mother. For as long as I could remember, my dad had been my entire world—the one constant in a life filled with unanswered questions. Gregory Hart wasn’t just a father; he was a superhero without a cape, juggling multiple jobs to ensure I never lacked anything. He had sacrificed his comfort and dreams for my sake. From school supplies to birthday cakes, he made magic happen, even when I knew resources were stretched thin. Despite the hurdles we faced, Dad’s resilience never wavered. He shielded me from the brunt of our struggles, always ensuring I had access to the best education possible. I worked hard because I didn’t want his sacrifices to go in vain. All those late nights of studying paid off when I earned a scholarship to the University of Manchester. It was the kind of opportunity I had only dreamed about, and yet, it became my reality. All I have ever wanted to do was to make Dad proud and I’m sure he is. He says it to me all the time. Moving to Manchester was harder than I’d anticipated. I was no stranger to hard work, but being one of the few scholarship students at a university filled with wealth and privilege made me feel like an outsider. Most students didn’t need to worry about making ends meet or juggling a part-time job with academics. Still, I pushed through, determined to carve out a space for myself in this unfamiliar world. And the constant, “I’m proud of you” dad said to me kind of eased the pressure. Now, as I sat at the kitchen table staring at my dad, Savannah’s words nudged me to take the leap. “Why the sudden trouble, Brielle? This is unlike you,” Dad teased, raising an eyebrow. “You’ve always been content with having just me. Or are you getting tired of your old man?” He faked a pitiful expression, but the concern in his eyes was unmistakable. “Come on, Dad. You know that’s not what I mean.” I smiled, trying to lighten the mood, but my hands fidgeted under the table. He leaned back in his chair, his laughter fading as his face turned serious. “I’ve always known this day would come. I guess it’s time I stop running from the past.” His voice cracked slightly, and my heart clenched. Whatever he was about to share wasn’t easy for him. Dad’s gray eyes locked onto mine, and I could see years of love and pain swirling in them. “The first time I saw you, you were eight months old,” he began softly. “The moment our eyes met, I fell in love. Those big, gray eyes seemed to say, ‘I don’t know you yet, but I feel like I belong with you.’” I couldn’t help but giggle at his earnestness. He smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Your grandma—your mom’s mom—tried to get your attention by making cooing sounds, but you wouldn’t look away from me. Even then, you had a stubborn streak.” “Sounds like I was charmed already,” I teased. “Charmed?” He raised an eyebrow. “You were mesmerized by how ridiculously handsome I was.” His grin was fleeting as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Back then, I didn’t feel like much of anything. I didn’t think I deserved happiness, let alone someone as perfect as you.” His sudden vulnerability caught me off guard. “Why would you think that, Dad?” He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Your mom and I were so young. She was three years younger than me and just about to start her final year of college when we found out she was pregnant. Neither of us was ready for what that meant.” I nodded, encouraging him to continue. “Her family was wealthy, the kind of wealth that makes people believe they’re untouchable. Me? I was barely scraping by. My uncle—my only family—had passed away, leaving me to fend for myself. The weight of it all felt like too much to bear. And then there was the pregnancy. Your mom asked if I wanted her to terminate it. I couldn’t give her an answer.” He shook his head, lost in the memory. “So what happened?” I whispered. “She made the decision to keep you, and weeks of indecision turned into months. Before we knew it, abortion wasn’t an option anymore. Looking back, I’m so glad she chose to have you. I can’t imagine a world without you in it.” My chest tightened, tears threatening to spill. “Thank you for staying, Dad. For everything.” He smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. “I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.” Before I could ask more, he yawned, exhaustion etched across his face. “That’s enough storytelling for one day. I’ve got a night shift to prepare for, and you’ve got assignments to finish. Besides, the Avanzinis are keeping a close eye on you. Don’t let them down.” I nodded, rising from the table as he leaned back, his eyes already closing. Watching him sleep, I felt an ache in my chest. Dad carried the weight of the world, and I wished he’d let me shoulder some of it. As I sat down at my desk, my mind wandered to my life in Manchester. It wasn’t perfect, but things had started to look up. Or so I thought.