A week passed, and things started to change between them. Adrian and Emily had both agreed to keep their son's existence a secret for now, not wanting to disrupt their work lives, but it wasn't easy. Everywhere Adrian went, he wanted to talk about his son, to ask about him, to tell Emily how much he was looking forward to the future.
But the more time they spent together, the more the old spark between them began to flicker and burn brighter. They shared quiet conversations at lunch, laughing together like they had before. Adrian started to understand her fears, and Emily began to trust him again, piece by piece.
One evening, as they walked through the city park, Adrian stopped and turned to her, his expression serious. "Emily, I know we've been through a lot, but I need you to know something."
She met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. "What is it?"
"I'm not going anywhere," Adrian said softly. "Not now, not ever. I'm here. With you. With our son."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she took a step closer to him, feeling the warmth of his love surround her.
"I don't deserve you," she whispered, shaking her head.
"Yes, you do," Adrian said, his voice firm. "And I don't deserve the chance to be a father, but I'm going to take it. I'm going to be the man you always wanted me to be."