Chapter 2

Henry

Earlier...

I opened my eyes, and the harsh daylight poured through the window. Its blinding rays reminded me of the night before. I rolled over and saw Dina lying there, still asleep. The sight of her made my stomach twist because of what I had done. I had enjoyed every second of our time together, but now I regret it. I wanted to have someone to focus on, and this wasn't it. Not a woman like her.

I got out of bed and reached for my clothes. I put them on quickly and turned towards the bed. I watched her peaceful face, wishing I could stay and enjoy the morning with her. But I knew I couldn't. I had to keep moving.

I cleared my throat loud enough to wake her. She stirred and opened her eyes slowly. When she saw me, she smiled. But I returned her smile with a stern look.

"You need to go," I said.

She looked at me, confusion in her eyes.

"Why? What did I do wrong?" she asked.

"Everything is wrong, Dina," I replied. "You're married, and we can't continue this. It's not fair to your husband or to me."

"That's not what you've told me when we started this," she whispered, hurt evident in her voice.

"I know, and I'm sorry. But my decision is final. Just go back to your husband and forget about me."

Dina's eyes welled up with tears as she got up. As she reached for her clothes, she glared at me. I had expected her to be angry, but instead I saw sadness in her eyes.

"Good luck," she said and left the room without looking back.

Once she was gone, I sighed and threw myself back into bed. I lay there, naked, and chuckled to myself. It felt wrong to be laughing after what had just happened. But I couldn't help it. I just felt free from the burden of being tied down to someone.

But that freedom was short-lived, as my phone vibrated, and the call came through suddenly.

I fumbled with the phone and brought it to my ear, a groggy "hello" emanating from my mouth.

"Henry, it's me, Emilia."

The sound of her voice shot through me like a bullet, jolting me fully awake. I felt my heart start to pound in my chest, the way it used to when I just heard her voice on the phone.

"What do you want? Why are you calling me?" I said, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

"It's not what I want," she said quietly. "It's what I need. I need you to do something for me."

I felt my annoyance start to turn to curiosity. We hadn't spoken in seventeen years, since the day I left her. But here she was, asking me for something. It intrigued me.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I need you to do me a favor," she said. "I need you to look after our daughter while I'm away."

My heart stopped for a moment. Our daughter? I was sure that she didn't have one when we broke up.

"What, daughter?" I asked.

"Our daughter," Emilia said. "Her name is Era. I'm going to Canada for work, and I need someone to watch her while I'm away."

I was speechless. I didn't even know Era existed. But Emilia appeared to be serious and determined, and I could feel my curiosity eating away at me.

"Can you do this for me, Henry?" she asked.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I didn't know why I was considering taking care of a daughter I had never met, but I was.

"I'll do it," I said, my voice catching in my throat.

"Thank you," she said with a sigh. "I'll send you a picture and all the details. Just let me know if you need anything."

With that, she hung up the phone, leaving me with more questions than answers. I looked down at the phone in my hand, my mind spinning with thoughts of a daughter I never knew I had.

I spent the remainder of the day in a haze. My mind was preoccupied with Emilia and Era. Emilia, how could you have hidden this from me for so long? Why did she suddenly believe I could care for a child?

I'd never had to be accountable for anyone other than myself. I had a company and hundreds of employees, but this was different. This was a child, my child, and I had no idea where to even begin in terms of being a parent.

As promised, Emilia sent me a photo of Era along with a list of instructions and a flight itinerary. I studied the photo closely, trying to see any resemblance between the two of us. She had Emilia's long, wavy hair and soft eyes, but her smile was all mine. I couldn't deny that I felt a strange pull towards her already, despite never having met her.

"Era," I said to myself, feeling both terrified and excited. "What will I do with you?"