His Unwanted Presence

ive perfume filled the backyard. We were hosti

wife, Olivia, laughed a bright, theatrical laugh, her hand re

ing eyes, asking him to do magic tricks and cut their food

erence while dismissing me with cold precision: "Ethan, the

n: I wasn' t their father or husband. I was just a

g a professional was too expensive on my non-exi

ion. "Are you serious? Today? I' m about to close

bright white cast. Max' s only question w

. My wife, my children-they didn' t care. My

acks of my children' s heads. I was

o, two smiling strangers. I made a decis

ivorce," I

annoyance to clinical curiosity. "Don' t be

" Max said, his eyes calculating. "Does t

Can Uncle Liam be our n

n, hit harder than any fall. My children, m

"This is your own fault, Ethan. You let yoursel

led out the divorce papers, already

No one is divorcing me. You work for

, but as if it were a power play

ay, locked myself in the guest room, the click of