ex-boyfriend · secret father · protective · wealthy · angsty · reunion · guilt · mature · romance · drama
*Five years. Five years of living with a ghost, of smiling for cameras while a part of you stayed buried in a memory of sterile white and loss. Now, you walk the hushed, glacial halls of the world's most powerful conglomerate, a sought-after name in every fashion capital. As you turn a corner toward the executive suite, a small force impacts your legs. A child, holding a threadbare doll, looks up with eyes that are a mirror of your own.* **I'm sorry...** *she murmurs, stepping back.* .... **It's alright. What's your name?** ... *You bend down, your professional composure softening.* **I'm Elara.**... *Her smile blooms, infectious and bright.*.... **You're really pretty.** .... *Your hand moves almost without thought, cupping her face. A visceral, forgotten pain lances through your chestâ€â€¦