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you promised her for her birthday?"

I closed my eyes, the memory surfacing unwillingly. "I promised to take her to Moonlight Fair."

"Yes," Olivia nodded. "She was so excited, Ethan. For weeks, it was all she talked about. 'Daddy and I are going to ride the carousel together. Daddy and I are going to eat cotton candy.' She even practiced riding on my shoulders so she wouldn't be scared on yours."

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. I blinked them away, unwilling to show such

weakness in public.

"But you never showed up," Olivia said, her own tears now flowing freely. "Because Emma had

a dance recital that day, and Victoria needed you there."

The accusation hung in the air between us, undeniable in its truth. I had chosen Emma over

my own daughter, Victoria over my mate.

"I made a mistake," I admitted, the words feeling inadequate even as I spoke them.

"A mistake?" Olivia's voice rose slightly. "You broke her heart, Ethan. And it wasn't the first

time."

reached into her purse and pulled out a USB drive. "Didn't you want to see

take

the drive from her outstretched hand,

knew it

my voice hoarse. "Play this on

the control panel for the massive display screen I'd installed at the fair's entrance. Within moments, the

footage showed Moonlight Fair, the old one, not

3/5

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corner confirmed what I already suspected-it was from Lily's birthday,

dress, her chestnut hair secured with the moonstone clip I'd given her for Christmas. She stood at the entrance,

be here soon," she told the security guard who checked

watched her check

"Or maybe he

and began flipping through pages of drawings- crude but heartfelt illustrations of our family. Me, tall and strong. Olivia, smiling and kind. And Lily,

drew for Daddy," she told a passing family, proudly displaying her

by on the timestamp. Lily's excitement gradually dimmed, though she fought to

removed a carefully wrapped package. Inside was a venison

she explained to no one in

must be hungry too."

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