Chapter 5 - THE GHOST FROM THE PASTJulian and Rebecca spun around simultaneously.
Standing on the paved walkway, blocking the sunlight, was a tall man wearing an expensive tailored gray suit, gold-rimmed aviator sunglasses, and a watch that cost more than Rebecca made in six months.
His hair was slicked back, his smile sharp and predatory.
Rebecca turned entirely pale, her hand ripping out of Julian’s grasp as if she had been burned. She staggered backward, her lips parting in silent horror.
"D-David?" she whispered.
David Miller.
The man who had vanished six years ago, two months before the twins were born, leaving behind a drained bank account, eviction notices, and a forwarding address that led to an empty warehouse in Chicago.
"Hello, sweetheart," David said smoothly, walking onto the grass with the confidence of a king returning to his throne. He stopped a few feet away, pulling down his sunglasses to reveal cold, calculating blue eyes that looked identical to Ava’s and Norah’s.
Julian stood up slowly, towering over David, his posture instantly shifting from gentle suitor to corporate apex predator.
"Who are you?" Julian demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
David chuckled, ignoring Julian and looking directly at Rebecca. "Who am I? Oh, Becky, that hurts. I’m your husband. And more importantly... I’m the legal father of those two little girls playing by the pond."
Ava and Norah, hearing the commotion, stopped chasing the ducks and ran over, hiding behind Rebecca’s legs.
"Mommy, who is that man?" Ava whispered, clutching Rebecca’s skirt.
David smiled warmly, crouching down to their level—a sickening imitation of a loving father. "Hey there, princesses. Don't you know who I am? I’m Daddy."
Both girls stared at him in utter bewilderment. They had no memory of David. To them, "Daddy" was a word in storybooks—until Julian sat with them at Christmas.
"Get away from them, David," Rebecca hissed, stepping in front of the girls. "You abandoned us! You signed away your parental rights in family court five years ago when you ran off to Nevada!"
David stood up, his smile vanishing, replaced by a hard, calculating sneer. "Ah, that's where you're wrong, sweet-heart. I signed a temporary separation agreement, not a termination of rights. And a good lawyer in the state of Massachusetts can overturn a default judgment anytime—especially when the father was out of state building a business."
He glanced past Rebecca, his eyes landing on Julian’s expensive suit, the Cartier watch on Julian’s wrist, and the custom leather briefcase sitting on the picnic blanket.
A greedy, victorious light flickered in David’s eyes.
"And it looks like you found yourself a very rich man," David sneered. "Which means you can afford a proper settlement. Or... maybe I should just take full custody of my daughters, move them out to California, and let the courts decide how much 'pain and suffering' your new billionaire boyfriend owes me for alienation of affection."
Julian stepped forward, closing the distance between them until they were chest-to-chest.
"You don't want custody, Miller," Julian whispered, his voice like grinding ice. "You want a payday. Name your price, take the check, and get out of their lives forever."
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David laughed out loud, throwing his head back. "A check? Oh, no, Mr. Carter. This isn't just about money anymore. This is about family. And I think my daughters and I are going to get to know each other very, very well."
He tipped an imaginary hat, turned on his heel, and strolled down the park path, leaving a chill in the spring air that no sunlight could warm.
