When Fiona finally woke, pale and weak but alive, Lucas stood at her bedside, unable to look away. Her eyes filled with tears when she saw him.
“I knew you would come,” she whispered.
“I am sorry,” he said, his voice breaking. “For everything.”
She reached for his hand. “Protect her,” she said softly. “No matter what.”
“I will,” he replied without hesitation.
When Lila was brought in and Fiona told her the truth, the child stared at Lucas in disbelief before launching herself into his arms, crying with a mixture of joy and confusion that shattered what remained of his defenses.
In that sterile hospital room, surrounded by machines and quiet sobs, Lucas Reed understood that his life had split irrevocably into before and after.
He was no longer just a man who built cities. He was a father, and he would never walk away again.
