LAUREN'S POV

“If he cared about her, he wouldn’t have brought Sofia with him to her school,” I said, my voice sharper than I meant it to be. The words tasted bitter in my mouth, like poison I’d been forced to swallow.

“But he still came, Lauren,” Tessa countered gently, though I could hear the firmness beneath her tone. “I think that’s what matters right now. Some dads cut off all communication with their kids and just disappear.”

I turned to face her fully, my arms crossing ...