Adrian did not speak for several seconds.
The phone remained pressed against his ear while every sound around him faded into silence. The warehouse, the detectives, the flashing patrol lights, even Amelia standing beside him seemed to disappear.
Only one thing existed.
The voice on the other end of the line.
It had aged. It carried a roughness that came from years of hardship, but there was no mistaking it.
His father.
“How do I know this isn’t another trick?” Adrian asked quietly.
A slow breath came through the receiver.
“You don’t,” Damian replied. “If I were in your position, I wouldn’t believe me either.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
For twenty years, he had imagined confronting the man who had vanished from his life. He had rehearsed accusations, questions, and bitter words that
