A One-Night Stand with consequences

ythmic hum of the radiator, but her mind remained hyper-alert, already attuned to the needs of her children. She glanced at the baby p

n the soft glow of a moon-shaped night light, casting shadows on the pale blue walls. Amanda took Noah out of

she whispered, bouncing

a chuckled softly. "Or maybe just hungry." She grabbed a bottle prepared from the mini-fridge

o identical faces, each radiating contagious joy, looked back at her. Noah

oughts drifted to someon

ristopher had been charming, even magnetic. The kind of man who could make a woman forget the world with a single smile

opher had no place in their lives, and she had every intention of

to. He was not a man prone to nerves. He was always unfazed. But tonight, as he was getting

arlier that he has

too selfish, too much of what his own father had been. But the thought of two little boys out there in the world,

e words he had repeated over and over again eva

isheveled, her expression changing from confusi

as high-pitched, his grip

fficulty, meeting he

ng him call her m

d woken up from a dream. He was as stunning as she remembered, a masterpiece of the male physique. Tall and athletic, with an imposing height of 1.90 meters of sha

es of her sons, held her own captive. Memories came to the surface, a tidal wave of bittersweet emotions threatening to

elings, a Pandora's box of emotions that she had painstakingly tried to close. She took a deep breath, trying to stabilize the tremor in her hands, to calm the storm raging in

unspoken words, unanswered questions and ghosts from their past. The silence stre

the years, but nothing could have prepared her for

er the way you spoke to me last time," she sai

pher's eyes. "I know about the b

he would hear. She began to speak, but the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she walked in, beckoning him

time before tackling this difficult subject. So, she slipped into her kitchen, the small American-style space a w

oss from Christopher, the worn floral chair sinking under her weight. She cleared her throat an

e, Amanda. I need to be part of t

high. "You're a stranger, Christopher. You didn

n. "And whose fault is it? You never told

ep him out of their lives, to protect her boys from the pain of his absence. But now, faced with

" she said, with anger. "I did

adness. "I understand that. But they're also my sons, Amanda. I d

t she also knew that keeping Christopher away wasn't the answer. They deserv

very move. "I am a powerful man. My sons deserve to benefit from my n

you". She shook her head, forcing herself to stay focused. "It's not about me,

me a chance, Amanda. I am not asking for forgivene

sincerity of his voice

But that's not a promise, Chris

ou", he said, a gleam

's a lot to take in", she said, her gaze fixed on the ground. "I

t something we can put on

nally meeting his. "I k

, for the slightest indication that he might walk away. In the en

a small, tense

's my card, my number is on it, you

heavy with unexpressed emotions. On the threshold he turne

ped a beat. "Good n

da watched him leave, the sound of his footsteps fading into the street. She leaned against

answers. As she leaned against the closed door, she couldn't help but wonder if she wasn't m