XANDER
“Is she now?” I asked, tilting my head slightly as my gaze remained fixed on Amara. I didn’t blink or look away, fully aware of how uncomfortable my eyes on her might make her feel.
She cleared her throat, clearly unsettled, and turned to the little girl standing beside her. “Ashley, sweetheart, go to your room. Mommy needs to talk to our guest.”
Ashley gave me a cheerful smile before skipping off, her tiny footsteps echoing faintly as she disappeared down the hallway.
Now that I knew the truth—that she was my daughter—I couldn’t unsee it. Her smile, her eyes… she was a mirror of me in so many ways. Funny how I hadn’t noticed it before.
“I’m diabetic,” I said as I strolled over to the sofa and lowered myself into it, “but I still eat cake.”
Amara followed, standing stiffly a f
