Logan sat at the edge of the park bench, his eyes scanning the playground nervously. He hadn’t felt this anxious in years. Today was the day he would meet his son for the first time. Maya had agreed to bring Ethan to the park, allowing them a chance to connect. The idea of seeing the boy who had his eyes, his blood, made Logan's heart race.Maya had asked for patience. “Ethan doesn’t know anything about you yet,” she had told him on the phone. “We need to take things slow. He thinks Richard is his father.”Logan had gritted his teeth at that. He respected Richard for stepping in, but it didn’t change the fact that Ethan was his son. He was the boy’s real father. And now it was time to build that bond.Finally, Logan saw them Maya and a small boy with messy brown hair, running toward the swings. His heart stopped as he watched Ethan laugh, his tiny face lighting up with joy.Maya caught Logan’s eye and gave a small wave, leading Ethan toward him. “Ethan, this is my friend, Logan,” she

Logan was pacing nervously outside the zoo entrance, glancing at his watch every few minutes. Today was the day. He was finally going to spend some real time with Ethan, and he didn’t want to mess it up. Maya had suggested the zoo, knowing Ethan loved animals, and Logan hoped it would be a good chance for them to bond.A few minutes later, he spotted Maya’s car pulling into the parking lot. His heart raced as he saw Ethan hop out of the car, his little face lighting up when he saw the zoo entrance. Maya smiled at Logan and waved.“Hey!” Logan called out, trying to keep his voice steady.“Hey, Logan,” Maya replied as she walked over with Ethan. “Ethan’s been excited all morning.”Logan smiled down at his son, who was clutching a small stuffed T-Rex. “Hey, buddy! Ready to see some real animals today?”Ethan nodded eagerly, his eyes wide with excitement. “Yeah! I wanna see the lions and the tigers! And the monkeys too!”Logan chuckled. “Well, we’ve got a whole zoo to explore, so we’ll se

The next day, Logan stood outside Ethan’s school, nervously glancing at the entrance. His hands fidgeted with the keys in his pocket as he waited. It was his first time picking up his son, and he wanted everything to go smoothly. He checked his watch again, making sure he wasn’t too early or too late.As the bell rang, children started spilling out of the building, laughing and shouting. Logan’s eyes scanned the crowd, searching for Ethan. Finally, he spotted him, holding his teacher’s hand and walking slowly toward the gate.“Ethan!” Logan called out, waving.Ethan looked up, his eyes widening when he saw Logan. He let go of his teacher’s hand and ran toward him.“Daddy!” Ethan shouted, his small feet racing across the pavement.Logan knelt down, arms wide open, as Ethan jumped into his arms. “Hey, buddy!” he said, lifting Ethan up and hugging him tightly.Ethan pulled back slightly and smiled. “You came!”“Of course, I did,” Logan said, ruffling Ethan’s hair. “I promised, didn’t I?”

The next morning, the air in the house was heavy with quiet. Ethan was still asleep upstairs, the early sun casting long shadows across the living room. Logan sat at the kitchen table, his fingers drumming lightly on the surface, waiting for Maya to come down. His tea from the night before had gone cold, untouched, but he barely noticed.Maya appeared in the doorway, her hair loosely tied back and dressed in her usual casual clothes. She paused when she saw Logan, clearly surprised he was up so early."You're up early," she said, crossing the kitchen to make herself some coffee.Logan shrugged. "Couldn't sleep much."Maya nodded as she poured her coffee, not pressing the matter. They stood in the same space, but it felt like they were miles apart.After a long pause, Logan finally broke the silence. "I've been thinking... about what you said yesterday. About trust."Maya glanced at him, her face unreadable. "And?""I know it’s not something I can fix overnight," Logan began, his voice