Cassie was still stunned by everything that had just unfolded, her mind spinning too fast to catch up with her heart.
The word mom echoed in her head, heavy and tender at the same time. It was too much. Too fast. She opened her mouth to refuse, already bracing herself to gently push the responsibility away, but Franklin met her eyes.
There was something in his look. Not pressure. Not command. A quiet plea mixed with trust.
"Sure," Franklin said before she could speak, his tone calm but firm. "You can call her mom. But like I said, if I ever introduce you to Uncle Frederick, you can never mention her, okay?"
Tristan pulled away from Cassie immediately, his small face scrunching into a thoughtful frown as he turned to his father. "Dad… is she running away from him?"
Franklin
