Before I could respond, he placed Ava in my arms. She was warm, trusting, and something inside me cracked open.

That night, I called Eric.

“I just need some time,” I murmured. “I need to figure things out.”

Silence.

As I spent more time with Ava, I felt drawn to her. Then, one afternoon, she looked up at me and asked, “Are you going to be my new mommy?”

I hesitated. “I’m not sure yet, sweetie.”

Despite my growing bond with Ava, something about Tom’s eagerness unsettled me. One evening, while he was out, a feeling I couldn’t shake led me to his office. A drawer, slightly open, caught my attention.

Inside, I found legal documents. My stomach twisted as I read the words—an inheritance, tied to Ava’s guardianship.

Tom walked in just as I slammed the drawer shut.

“Tom,” I said, my voice sharp. His face paled.

“You were using me,” I whispered, realization sinking in. “This isn’t about Ava. It’s about the money.”

His silence was all the confirmation I needed.

Anger and betrayal surged through me. I grabbed my phone, dialing Eric. Straight to voicemail. My heart sank.

Had I lost him? Had I wasted too much time on the wrong man?

“Eric, please call me back,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

I needed to fight for the one who truly mattered.

As I left Tom’s house, Ava’s innocent eyes haunted me.

“I have to go, sweetie,” I whispered. “But you’ll always be special to me.”

Tears burned my eyes as I walked away.

The taxi ride to Eric’s felt like an eternity. My hands shook as I typed out a message.

“I’m coming. I was so foolish. Please, let me explain.”

When I arrived, I spotted him immediately.

Eric stood in the pouring rain, soaked to the bone, holding a bouquet of white roses—the kind I loved.

He was waiting.