Aliyah's POV

“You kept this from me? Our child?” Asher's words came next.

My face twisted in disbelief, but I was quick to mask it. No way I'm agreeing with him on this.

Elara is mine. For five years, I had taken care of her without a father, nothing would change that now.

Asher was silent for a while, his words hanging heavy in the air. I should reply, either tell him he's right or plainly let him know he's totally wrong, but I said nothing.

All I did was hold his gaze, because ...