A wave of unease washed over Josie.

Kira had always been a well-behaved child. She had never once caused trouble at kindergarten.

This was the first time a teacher had ever called her like this.

She rushed to the school office, only to find Kira standing in the corner, trembling, tears streaming, and hiccupping. Her small face was flushed an alarming shade of red.

Across the room, Graham stood with his usual cold, detached expression. Beside him was a little girl and a slender, elegant woman.

Josie recognized the woman immediately—Allison Blake, Graham's first love.

She clung to his arm with the effortless intimacy of a wife. The two of them looked as though they had always belonged together.

And the child by his side? That was Allison's daughter.

The moment Josie stepped into the room, she saw the girl grip Graham's arm and burst into tears. "Daddy, she bullied me!"

Kira's eyes widened in disbelief. Graham had never once let her call him that. The teachers all assumed Kira came from a single-parent home.

But now, another child could openly call him "Daddy" in front of everyone—and he didn't just allow it, he welcomed it.

He wrapped the little girl gently in his arms, comforting her in a soft voice. "Don't be scared, Cami. Daddy's here. Daddy will protect you."

That tender tone, that loving gaze—

Kira had never known any of it.

But when Graham turned to look at her, his expression turned hard, glacial. "Who taught you to fight with your classmates? Don't you have any manners? Apologize to Cami right now."

Kira flinched under the sharpness of his voice. She clutched her bunny plush tightly. Through her sobs, she stammered, "She… she tore my toy first…"

On the desk sat the torn bunny—last night, Graham had brought it home while drunk and muttered that it was a gift for her.

Kira had been thrilled. She had fallen asleep holding it, and even brought it to school this morning, unwilling to part with it.

But now, Cami Blake pointed at it, furious. "What do you mean your toy? That was for me! My daddy bought it for me! You're a thief!"

Thief. To a five-year-old, that word cut deeper than anyone realized.

Kira's eyes turned red, her small fingers twisting the hem of her shirt. "I'm not…"

She looked up at Graham, desperate for him to defend her. Just once.

But he averted his gaze, cold and unmoved.

Allison stepped in with a soft smile. "Graham did buy Cami several toys yesterday. She didn't like the bunny, so he took it home. Maybe Kira just happened to have the same one."

The sadness in Kira's eyes deepened.

So the gift she had treasured—her only gift from her father—was nothing more than a discarded afterthought.

Still, she whispered, her voice full of hurt, "But… Daddy gave it to me…"

Graham's brows furrowed.

He avoided her gaze again and said with indifference, "So what? It's just a toy. You were still wrong to hit someone. You owe Cami an apology."

Then he turned on Josie. "Is this the kind of child you raised? Hitting others, then showing no remorse? What kind of mother are you?"

Josie felt her heart go cold. She opened her mouth to speak.

But Kira tugged her hand.

Her eyes were red, her voice urgent. "It's not Mommy's fault. Mommy is the best mom in the world."

Then, as if afraid she'd said too much, she wiped her face with her sleeve, gave Josie a trembling smile, and said softly, "It's okay, Mommy. I'll apologize."

She knew—if she didn't apologize, Graham wouldn't let this go.

And her mother would be blamed.

She didn't want that. She didn't want her mom to suffer for her.

So, with her little heart breaking, she turned toward Graham and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Holloway."

The words landed with a quiet ache, slicing into Josie's heart like a blade.

"I'm sorry, Cami."

"I'm sorry… Cami's mom."

Then she reached out, took Josie's hand, and turned to leave.

The teacher, caught off guard by Kira's unusually subdued behavior, blinked and chased after her with the torn bunny in hand. "Kira, you forgot your toy."

Kira paused, glanced at it. Then, eyes filled with tears, she shook her head. "I don't want it anymore."

Josie stared at her in disbelief.

Graham stood frozen at the doorway.

A sharp ache bloomed in Josie's chest as she thought, 'Graham… you have two chances left.'

The next day, Josie arrived at the kindergarten to process Kira's withdrawal.

The teacher looked surprised. "Why the sudden decision to withdraw her?"

Josie replied, "Kira's grandparents live overseas. I'm planning to emigrate with her."

Just as she finished speaking, Graham appeared behind her, his face clouded with tension.

"Emigrate?" he repeated sharply.

The teacher was about to respond, but Josie cut in smoothly, "I said her grandparents moved abroad. If time allows, I'd like to take her to visit them."

For some reason, Graham seemed relieved.

He placed a folder on the desk. "These are Cami's enrollment documents."

The teacher smiled as she accepted the papers, full of praise. "Mr. Holloway, you're so thoughtful. Cami may not be your biological daughter, but the way you handle everything for her, I say you treat her even better than a real parent would."

To Josie, the words pierced like needles. Graham had never done anything like that for Kira.

If not for his recent run-in with Allison's daughter, he probably wouldn't even know which kindergarten Kira attended.

She couldn't help but speak. "Yes, Mr. Holloway really is a wonderful father."

Those last two words, she said with deliberate weight.

Graham faltered for a moment. He didn't snap back as expected. He simply stood there, silent.

Later that afternoon, Josie went to the art museum. A few of her pieces were on display there. She had come to take them down.

But as soon as she entered, she saw Graham standing with Allison.

The two stood side by side. Allison laughed with relaxed elegance, surrounded by several of Graham's acquaintances from the art world.

"I heard you've been secretly married for years," someone teased. "So this must be your wife?"

"A perfect match, truly—no wonder you kept her hidden. She's a beauty."

As the compliments floated through the air, Graham simply smiled and laced his fingers with Allison's, as if sealing the moment.

He made no move to correct them.

Standing in the back, Josie let out a quiet, self-mocking laugh.

So this was it.

From beginning to end, the one he had wanted to marry was always Allison.

Now, with the whole world watching, he was finally living that dream—appearing with her in public, hand in hand, no longer hiding.

And she—Josie—what had she been?

What, exactly, had the past ten years meant?

A heart already gone cold began to ache again. Her eyes reddened.

"Graham," she called softly.

He turned toward her, his gaze sharp and impersonal, a silent warning in his eyes.

"What is it?" he asked flatly, his tone distant, drawing a clear boundary.

The words she'd meant to say died on her tongue.

She had wanted to remind him—tomorrow was Kira's birthday. She had hoped he would remember to come home.

But now… it felt pointless.

Allison glanced at her and asked lightly, "Graham, do you know her?"

Without hesitation, Graham replied, "Not really."

Those two words landed like a knife.

Josie swallowed the bitterness rising in her throat.

Then Allison, as if twisting the blade, smiled and said, "You must be one of Graham's friends? We're getting married soon—we'll be sure to invite you."

Josie turned sharply to look at him, stunned.

Graham avoided her gaze, eyes shifting away.

Allison went on, almost too casually. "Before I went abroad, Graham and I made a ten-year promise. If I returned after ten years, he would marry me.

"I thought it was just something we said at the time. But I never imagined… he'd really wait ten years for me.

"So now I'm back—to keep my promise."

Josie felt as if something had clutched her heart in a tight, merciless grip. She couldn't breathe.

She had stayed by Graham's side for ten years. Ten years of trying to warm a frozen heart.

But it hadn't been her fault. It hadn't been that she hadn't tried hard enough. It was simply because Graham had been waiting for Allison all along.

No matter what she did, it would never matter. In his heart, there had only ever been one person—Allison.

The realization made Josie laugh bitterly. Her voice cracked as she said, "I wish you a happy marriage."

With that, Josie turned and walked away.

Graham watched her back retreat into the distance. A strange tightness gripped his chest, an uncomfortable weight he couldn't quite place. He stood there, dazed, for a long moment, until Allison tugged gently on his sleeve.

"Graham, what are you thinking about?"

He blinked out of the fog. "It's nothing," he said, distracted. "I just remembered there's something I need to deal with at the office."

Without waiting for her response, he turned and left.

…

That evening, Josie returned home and began preparing dinner.

Kira sat quietly in the living room, drawing with intense focus.

Suddenly, the door opened.

Josie assumed it was the housekeeper, but then she heard Kira's delighted voice:

"Mr. Holloway!"

She lit up, eyes wide with joy. "You came home!"

Josie hadn't expected him. Ever since Allison's return, Graham had rarely come back to this house.

And now, unexpectedly, he was home just in time for dinner.

Kira's smile was impossible to hide. She ran to him, only to hesitate midway, uncertain whether she was allowed to get close. So she stood off to the side, carefully watching him.

Something in Graham's expression shifted.

From behind his back, he pulled out a plush toy and handed it to her. "This is for you."

Kira stared at it, stunned.

After a long pause, she asked in a small, tentative voice, "It's really for me?"

He nodded.

The toy was identical to the rabbit plush that had been torn.

Graham's expression softened for once. "Cami didn't mean to tear your toy. This is her way of making it up to you."

Kira blinked, confused by what he meant.

Then he continued, "The school's holding an art contest in a few days. Would you mind giving your spot to Cami?"

Her smile froze in place.

She looked at the toy in her hands, realization dawning. This wasn't a gift. It was an exchange. A bribe.

She had never truly received anything, not without condition.

Her eyes turned red as she lowered her head.

Graham went on, "Cami just got back from abroad. She needs time to get used to the new environment and new people. We should be kind. It's just a little contest. You can enter again next time."

Kira bit her lip. Tears fell silently, one after another.

The rabbit plush in her hands now felt unbearably heavy.

She asked, voice trembling, "Did you give me this… just so I'd quit the contest?"

Graham's brows drew together. "It's not a big deal. What's wrong with giving a new classmate a chance? Have I ever taught you to be so selfish?"

Josie couldn't bear to hear another word. She walked over and scooped Kira into her arms.

The rabbit plush slipped from Kira's grasp and fell to the floor, but she didn't reach for it. She just buried her face in her mother's shoulder, weeping.

Josie carried her into the bedroom, tucked her in gently, then returned to pick up the plush toy. She walked to Graham and handed it back.

"No need for this. Kira won't be participating."

Graham looked genuinely surprised. "You're okay with it?"

He had assumed Josie would stand up for Kira. He hadn't expected her to agree so quickly.

Josie's tone was flat. "We weren't planning on joining anyway."

Because soon, she would be taking Kira far away from here.

'Graham, you have one chance left,' she thought bitterly.