Is Dad a bad man?

Jude POV

Isadora lit three candles on top of a cake, which was sprinkled with what I learned was funfetti. Daniele’s eyes became wide as he took in the cake. I lifted him onto one of the chairs so he could get a good look at it. “You have to blow out the candles and make a wish.”

Simona tried to lean away from Isadora to touch the candles, and her face scrunched up in frustration when she couldn’t. “Do you need help?” Isadora asked Daniele as he blew out only one candle with his first attempt.

“You’re three, a big boy. You can do it,” I told him.

He gave a small nod and blew even harder. Both candles were snuffed out this time.

“Good.”

Isadora beamed as she cut the first piece of the cake. When she pulled it out, its colorful layers became visible.

“Wow,” Daniele breathed. I froze, unable to believe what I’d heard. One simple word—the first word Daniele had spoken in my presence in months.

Wow, indeed.

I had to agree with him, not just because of the rainbow funfetti cake. Isadora set