His Guilt

Emily had always been one to rise with the sun, long before the city stirred, long before the world opened its eyes. Her mornings began in silence, when the sky was still streaked with soft hues of gold and lavender. It wasn’t just habit anymore, it was survival turned into ritual. The quiet hours had once been the only time she could gather herself, breathe, and remember who she was beneath the weight of expectation and heartbreak.

That routine had started six years ago, during her pregnancy. Back when she was alone, vulnerable, and clinging to sanity by the thread of a hundred thousand,the only thing left of a man who had broken her heart and vanished behind a wall of silence and pride.

With that money, she’d carved out a semblance of life. A modest apartment in a neighborhood where the rent didn’t swallow her whole. The place wasn’t fancy, but it was hers. Her refuge. It had a balcony that caught the morning sun and a kitchen that smelled like fresh hope when she cooked. The neighbors whispered, of course. They stared. They asked invasive questions with polite smiles

Where’s your husband? Is he away on duty? Military?

Emily had mastered the art of smiling back without answering. Let them assume what they wanted. Eventually, their curiosity burned out and drifted away, like smoke on a windy afternoon.

This morning felt no different at first. She wrapped her fingers around a warm mug of coffee and let the steam soothe her tired face. The aroma was rich and bitter, grounding her as she moved through her routine. She walked barefoot across the cool tiles, her white robe brushing her ankles as she made her way to her daughter’s room.

Zephyr was still fast asleep, her little form cocooned beneath a fluffy blanket, soft curls spilling across the pillow like spilled ink. The sight made Emily’s chest ache in the best way. Her daughter was her anchor, the reason she had kept going when life gave her every reason not to.

It was just 6 a.m. Zephyr didn’t need to be up until 7, so Emily let her sleep. She stepped over to the desk, careful not to wake her, and flipped through her assignments. Her daughter had recently declared that she was “a big girl now” and insisted on doing her homework without help. Emily respected that growing independence but still double-checked everything. Not out of distrust, just a mother’s instinct.

The math problems were neatly solved. The spelling worksheet was flawless. Her reading log had little hearts drawn beside the titles. Emily chuckled softly and placed the papers back. Zephyr was smart, brilliant, really. Sometimes, Emily caught herself wondering where that sharp little mind came from. Then she remembered: her daughter was a product of both her strength and a man she once loved deeply, even if he hadn’t deserved it at the time.

She made her way back to the kitchen, tying her robe tighter. Cooking brought her peace. She chopped vegetables with ease, whisked eggs with practiced hands, and began prepping a small lunchbox. She didn’t trust the cafeteria food, not entirely. But more than that, it was about the gesture. her way of wrapping love in foil and spice, a quiet message to her daughter: I’m always thinking of you.

But even as her hands moved with purpose, her mind wandered, back to the airport. Back to the man with piercing eyes and a familiar smirk. Aiden.

He had sent texts. Short ones. Polite. Hesitant.

She hadn’t responded.

Not because she was angry. Anger had long since faded into something else. Something heavier. Unresolved.

How had he gotten her number? Probably through the same connections that had made him a titan in the business world. And Emily wasn’t invisible either. She’d made a name for herself over the years. After Zephyr’s first birthday, she re-entered the job market with a solid resume and the drive of a woman with everything to prove. Remote work during her pregnancy had given her valuable experience, and when A&AL hired her, she had seized the opportunity with both hands. In just two years, she rose from junior manager to senior. It hadn’t been easy. Nothing ever was. But it was worth it.

“Mummy…” a sleepy voice called out.

Emily turned to see Zephyr shuffling into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

“Good morning, my beautiful mummy,” the little girl chirped, her lips curling into a soft smile. “How was your night?”

Emily bent to receive the warm kiss on her cheek, heart swelling. “Good morning, Z. My night was fine, thank you. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, mummy. I dreamed of flying,” Zephyr said proudly.

“Really? That’s wonderful. Now off you go, little pilot. Time to brush your teeth and get ready for school.”

Their morning routine was fluid, like choreography performed a hundred times over. Zephyr brushed and bathed herself, dressed in her ironed school uniform, and packed her bag with the help of her mother’s gentle guidance. At exactly 7:45, they were out the door.

The car ride was filled with soft music and light chatter. Emily dropped Zephyr off at the school gate, as always.

“Bye, mummy!” Zephyr waved, skipping into the school grounds.

Emily watched her go, the sight tugging at her heart the way it always did.

Then she drove to work, trying to focus on the day ahead. Meetings. Reports. Deadlines. But the distraction came anyway—right around lunchtime.

“Are we still on for lunch?”

Aiden’s message.

She stared at her phone, thumb hovering. No reply.

Was she ready to face him? The man who had once looked her in the eye and told her she meant nothing?

Her stomach twisted. She wasn’t sure.

---

Elsewhere in the city, Aiden paced the hotel suite like a caged animal. Sleep had eluded him the night before. He hadn’t gone home. He couldn’t face Joan—not tonight. Not ever, if he had his way. Their marriage was a facade, a carefully arranged business merger disguised as a romantic union. He had never touched her, never wanted to. And now, every moment spent in her presence felt like slow suffocation.

But Emily… Emily was real.

She had once looked at him like he was the only man in the world.

And he’d let her go.

Six years ago, he let pride and fear blind him. His grandfather had pulled the strings—manipulating him with promises of power and control at Baker’s Group. In return, Aiden had offered silence. Obedience. He married Joan, the woman handpicked for him, and turned his back on the one person who had truly seen him.

Even when Emily said she was pregnant, he’d doubted her. They’d not used protection. She said she was on the pill. It didn’t add up. It felt like a setup. And he’d lashed out. Called her names. Shut her out.

And then she disappeared.

Years passed. He tried to forget her.

Until that day at the airport.

Until the little girl who looked just like him said one word: Daddy.

He didn’t need a DNA test. He knew.

The guilt hit like a freight train.

And now, he was here, waiting for her at the restaurant she’d suggested, discreetly located two blocks from her office. She hadn’t responded to his confirmation text, and each passing second felt like a blade against his nerves.

What if she didn’t come?

What if she hated him too much?

What if it was too late?

But he would wait. As long as it took.

Because some truths couldn’t be buried.

And some mistakes had to be faced, no matter how much they hurt.

.