I never thought I would find myself in a situation like this. For years, I believed my father had abandoned me. When everything fell apart, when Mom died, when Teresa moved in and took over, when I was left to navigate life on my own, I thought he had chosen his new life over me. I thought he had turned his back on me.
But sitting here now, watching the weariness in his eyes and the way his shoulders sagged with the weight of untold burdens, I realized how wrong I had been. I can't imagine how painful it is for him to fight his battles alone.
“I didn’t know you were going through all of this alone,” I murmured, my voice quieter than I intended. “I thought you left me to suffer.”
His eyes met mine, shadowed with pain. “Everything I did was to protect you, Mira.”
I swallowed hard. The
