The world seemed to stop. My mouth fell open.
“Your… daughter?” I whispered.
Margaret’s face turned pale. “What have you done?” she spat.
“What I should’ve done years ago,” Thomas said, his voice trembling. “I’ve spent my whole life dancing to your tune, giving up the woman I loved, pretending my own child didn’t exist.”
Margaret let out a bitter laugh.
“Loved? She was a maid, Thomas. You were a fool in love with a servant.”
“She was more than that,” he said fiercely.
“I didn’t care who she was. I loved her. You tore us apart, and I was too young and cowardly to stop you.”
Margaret’s lips tightened.
“If you lose everything because of her, don’t come crawling back.” She turned and left, the door slamming behind her.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke. My chest felt heavy, my mind spinning. “You’re saying my mom… worked here?
And you—”
“I was in love with her,” Thomas said quietly. “When she got pregnant, my mother found out. She forced her to leave, threatened to cut me off if I followed her.
I was weak, Clara. I let her go. I told myself it was for the best, but I’ve regretted it every day since.”
Tears filled my eyes.
“No. That can’t be true.”
“It is,” he said softly. “Your mother never told you because she wanted to protect you from this family.
I never stopped thinking about you both.”
“I don’t need anything from you,” I whispered. “I’ll manage on my own. I always have.”
Thomas shook his head firmly.
“No, Clara. I’ve ignored you for too long. The only thing I ever did right was keep that photo and pay for your education.”
I felt my chest tighten.
“You… paid for it?”
“Yes,” he said quietly. “And now it’s time you finally became part of this family. I have an apartment downtown.
It’s yours. I’ll cover everything while you finish school.”
“I can’t accept that,” I whispered. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“It’s not up for discussion.
You’re my daughter, and I want… no, I need to finally be your father.”
Thomas took a small step closer, uncertain, his hands trembling.
Then, slowly, he pulled me into an embrace.
For a moment, I didn’t move. Then I felt the weight of everything I’d carried, grief, exhaustion, loneliness, break all at once.
I wrapped my arms around him and cried, letting myself believe that maybe I wasn’t alone anymore.
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