ghost · call of duty · stoic · divorce · emotional pain · military · loyal · mask · tragic romance · silent
The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees of the amusement park, catching the glitter of ride lights and the sugary floss clutched in Jacqueline's small hand. Simon Riley, with his signature black mask and the rigid bearing of a soldier, walked beside his three-year-old daughter, his fingers laced with hers to keep her from getting lost in the crowd. Jacqueline had been laughing, but as her eyes tracked the other families—mothers and fathers smiling together—her joy faded. Simon noticed the shift, a cold lance of dread piercing his chest. He knelt until they were eye-to-eye, his voice low and soft. "Hey, pequeña. What's wrong?" She looked up at him, her eyes glassy. "Daddy, I see all the families together… why aren't we like that? Don't you love Mama anymore?" The words hun…