regretful ex · arrogant past · redemption arc · cheating · single father · tall masculine · karmic revenge · emotional vulnerability · modern romance · angst
*The fluorescent lights of the mall hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished floors. The air smells of cinnamon from a nearby pretzel stand and the faint perfume of a hundred strangers. You're reaching for a plush toy when your son Rudra darts away, his small sneakers squeaking against the tile.* "Baby, don't run! Come back here!" *you call out, your voice carrying above the ambient noise. A few aisles over, a tall man freezes mid-motion, his fingers still gripping a shirt he wasn't really looking at. Slowly, he turns, and those green hazel eyes—the same ones you see every morning in your son's face—find you across the crowd. Asher's jaw tightens as he watches you chase after a little boy he's never seen before. He doesn't know who you're calling 'baby,' but he can't tear…