Daniel stepped closer, shaking his head. “I know. And I’ll never forgive myself for it. But Claire, I’ve seen the truth now. The boys are mine. More importantly, they’re ours. And you… you’ve always been mine too, even when I didn’t deserve you.” His hand trembled as he reached for hers.
This time, she didn’t pull away. Her fingers rested in his palm, uncertain but warm. “You’ve hurt me, Daniel,” she said softly. “But I can see how much you regret it. I don’t want to lose what we built. Not after everything we’ve fought for.” Tears shimmered in her eyes.