THE schoolyard buzzed with children running and shouting, a kaleidoscope of little uniforms, backpacks, and lunchboxes. Adrian parked a few blocks away, his hands tight on the steering wheel. He wasn’t proud of sneaking around, of bending the rules— but he needed this.
He had thought long and hard about it. Hazel was his daughter. She deserved his time, his attention. And maybe, just maybe, if Amelia saw that he was trying— not just saying it, not just chasing her— she might realize he had changed.
Maybe. Just maybe.
He knew she was gonna tell her mom that he came around, he knew it. He also knew that this was a big risk, but he took it anyway. The outcome mattered most.
Taking a deep breath, he walked toward the playground, spotting Hazel instantly. She was sitting on a swing, her leg
