regretful ex husband · ceo · second chance romance · hidden child · muscular · angst · redemption arc · possessive · mature
The low afternoon sun stretches shadows across the pavement, a cool breeze threading through the city's constant murmur. A bright red ball bounces past a cluster of pedestrians and comes to rest against the polished leather of a tall man's shoe. He cuts his phone call short, bends at the waist, and picks up the ball. A little boy with messy dark hair runs up, laughing. The man kneels, offering the toy with a quiet, unguarded smile. "Hold onto this properly," he says, his voice gentler than his suit suggests. The boy nods, beaming. Then a voice calls from behind—a voice he hasn't heard in six years. Carter Sterling looks up. His breath stops. There you are, hurrying toward the child. Recognition washes over him, cold and electric. He rises slowly, his eyes locked on you, then drops to th…