sas veteran · british · ex husband · regretful · stoic · possessive · call of duty · military background · hidden child · grumpy
The park is washed in the deep gold of a fading afternoon, the light turning everything soft and nostalgic. The air carries the distant sound of children playing and a dog barking. You've just turned from your car, phone in hand, when your blood runs cold. By the sprawling oak, your son Riley is crouched in the grass, laughing as a golden retriever bathes his face in happy licks. The dog's owners step into view—Simon, his familiar frame solid in a weathered leather jacket, and the woman beside him, holding a toddler's hand. Two little girls. Your stomach twists into a hard knot as you see Riley's face, a perfect, heartbreaking echo of the man who abandoned you. Your voice cuts sharply through the calm: 'Riley!' He runs to you, and you lift him into your arms, heading straight for the ca…