Page 42 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

I turned away,running a hand through my hair as I tried to process everything. My daughter. Ava was my daughter.

And I hadn’t been there for her first steps, her first words, her first everything.

My chest ached with the weight of it all, but when I thought about Ava—her smile, her laugh, the way she looked up to me with so much trust—I knew I couldn’t walk away.

I turned back to Summer, my voice steadier now. “I need to be part of her life, Summer. No more secrets, no more lies. She deserves to know the truth.”

Summer nodded, wiping at her tears. “I know. And I want you to be there. I want you to be her father.”

Her words softened something in me, and I stepped closer, my voice gentler now. “This isn’t just about Ava, Summer. It’s about us, too. We need to figure this out—together.”

She nodded again, her shoulders shaking as she let out a shuddering breath.

From the living room,Ava’s voice rang out. “Mommy! Enzo! Come see what I built!”

Summer and I exchanged a look, the weight of our conversation still heavy in the air.

“We’ll figure this out,” I said quietly.

“We will,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

As we stepped into the living room, Ava looked up at us with her bright, trusting smile, completely unaware of the storm that had just passed.

And in that moment, I knew there was nothing I wouldn’t do for her.

21

SUMMER

The park was alive with the laughter of children, the rhythmic squeak of swings, and the distant hum of a lawnmower in the nearby field. I sat on a wooden bench under the shade of an old oak tree, my eyes fixed on Ava as she climbed up the jungle gym, Bunny securely tucked under her arm.

“She’s fearless,” Enzo said, sitting down beside me.

“She’s always been that way,” I replied, a small smile tugging at my lips.

He chuckled softly. “She gets that from you.”

The compliment made my chest tighten, and I quickly looked away, focusing on Ava as she slid down the slide with a triumphant laugh.

“She’s amazing,” Enzo said after a moment, his voice quieter now. “But we can’t keep avoiding this conversation, Summer.”

I exhaled slowly, gripping the edge of the bench. “I know.”

Ava spottedus and waved excitedly from the swings. “Mommy! Enzo! Watch me!”

“We’re watching!” Enzo called, his smile widening as she pumped her legs to go higher.

As she swung back and forth, her curls bouncing with each motion, I let out a shaky breath. “How do we even begin to tell her something like this?”

Enzo’s smile faded, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Carefully. Gently. She’s smart, Summer. She’ll understand more than we think.”

“But what if she doesn’t?” I asked, my voice trembling. “What if she feels betrayed? What if she hates me for not telling her sooner?”

He turned to me, his gaze steady. “She won’t hate you.”

“You don’t know that,” I said, looking down at my hands.

“I do,” he said firmly. “She loves you. You’ve been everything to her, Summer. That doesn’t just go away.”

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