“Can You Be The Father Of My Baby For One Day?” She Asked… And I Said, “Only If You Tell Me Why”
Chapter 12
Daniel didn’t answer immediately.
Not because he didn’t know what he wanted.
Because he did.
Too much.
Olivia was still pregnant.
Her life had been shattered.
Noah was still alive.
There were legal investigations.
Media attention.
A billion-dollar trust.
Nothing about their situation was simple.
“I don’t want to become someone’s replacement,” Daniel said.
“You won’t.”
“I don’t want you choosing me because you were afraid.”
“I was afraid.”
He nodded.
“And now?”
She looked at him.
“Now I’m not.”
He smiled.
“Why?”
“Because I know what it feels like to stand next to someone who is pretending.”
She touched his face.
“You never pretended with me.”
He almost laughed.
“I pretended to be the father of your baby.”
“For one day.”
“And failed.”
“How?”
“I started caring.”
She smiled.
Then she kissed him.
It wasn’t a passionate kiss.
It was soft.
A beginning.
When they separated, Daniel rested his forehead against hers.
“I still have one question.”
“What?”
“Why did you choose me?”
She smiled.
“Noah told me about you.”
“That doesn’t explain it.”
She looked toward the hallway.
“Then let me show you.”
They went to the old Bennett office.
Olivia opened a drawer.
Inside was an old photograph.
Daniel.
Sarah.
Noah.
Richard.
Olivia.
Taken years earlier.
Daniel stared.
“When was this?”
“Six years ago.”
“I don’t remember.”
“Because you weren’t looking.”
“What?”
Olivia pointed.
Sarah had been standing beside Daniel.
Noah stood beside Olivia.
Their families had met at a company charity event.
Daniel had been there as a contractor.
He had forgotten.
Sarah hadn’t.
“She told me that night,” Olivia said.
“Told you what?”
“That if anything happened to her, I should find you.”
Daniel’s heart tightened.
“Why?”
“Because she believed you were the kindest man she’d ever met.”
He looked at the photograph.
Sarah had been smiling.
She knew.
She had known what was coming.
And she had trusted him to be there.
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I wish she’d told me.”
Olivia squeezed his hand.
“She did.”
“How?”
“She left you me.”
He looked at her.
“You really know how to make a man cry.”
She smiled.
“I learned from Sophie.”
Daniel laughed.
“You’ve met her too many times.”
Olivia touched his hand.
“I love her.”
He went still.
“I know.”
“And I want her in my life.”
He swallowed.
“That matters.”
They walked outside.
Sophie was waiting at the house with a neighbor.
She ran toward them.
“Daddy!”
Daniel bent down.
“How are you?”
“Good.”
She looked at Olivia.
“Did you save the baby?”
Olivia laughed.
“We tried.”
Sophie thought.
“Is he a boy?”
“We don’t know.”
“You should name him Hope.”
Olivia looked at Daniel.
He smiled.
“Sounds familiar.”
Sophie shrugged.
“I have good ideas.”
That night, they ate dinner together.
Simple food.
Nothing glamorous.
Olivia laughed when Sophie spilled juice.
Daniel cleaned it.
For the first time, Olivia’s world felt ordinary.
And ordinary had become something precious.
She watched Daniel help Sophie with homework.
He looked up.
“What?”
“You’re good with her.”
“She’s easy.”
Sophie looked over.
“I heard that.”
Daniel laughed.
Olivia smiled.
She knew she had asked him to pretend for one day.
But she’d never realized that one day would show her what a real family could feel like.
