But I could see it. I knew there was more to it than that. When Orion looked at Melissa, there was something real in his eyes. If she hadn’t made the mistake of trying to kill me, he would’ve stuck by her, no questions asked.
For Uma’s safety, and to give us both a fresh start, I decided to move even farther away. Plus, it was time for Uma to start kindergarten, so I went ahead and enrolled her.
On her first day, Uma couldn’t have been happier. When I showed up early to pick her up, she practically flew into my arms.
“Mom, a lot of the other kids cried today, but I didn’t cry!” she beamed, her eyes sparkling with pride.
I grinned, ruffling her hair. “That’s my girl, so brave.”
But then, she suddenly stopped talking, her gaze drifting nervously to the side.
I followed her eyes, and there he was, Orion.
He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept in days. His eyes were heavy with dark circles, his lips pressed in a tight line as he stared at us.
I felt a knot twist in my stomach. He wasn’t supposed to be here. Not like this. But I couldn’t deny the way his eyes lingered on us, and it was impossible to ignore the tension in the air.
