Chapter 10 - The Unbroken Promise
Later that evening, after the guests had departed and the stars began to twinkle in the cool night sky, Adam sat on the edge of Nell’s small bed in his townhouse.
The room was soft, quiet, lit only by a nightlight that projected yellow stars across the ceiling.
Nell lay tucked beneath her pink duvet, her eyes heavy with sleep, her small hand wrapped around Adam’s thumb.
"Daddy?" Nell whispered, her voice sleepy and small.
"Yes, my sweet girl?" Adam murmured, leaning down to smooth a stray curl off her forehead.
"Will you be here when I wake up?"
Adam looked at his daughter—the child he had almost lost, the life he had almost thrown away for vanity and empty luxury.
He remembered the rain against the kitchen window three years ago. He remembered the pink and white roses crackling in his hand. He remembered the empty room where her crib should have been.
He squeezed her tiny hand gently.
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"I will always be here, Nell," Adam whispered, his voice thick with a quiet, solemn promise that would never be broken. "Every morning. Every night. Every step of the way."
Nell smiled, let out a soft, contented sigh, and closed her eyes, falling into a deep, peaceful sleep, safe in the knowledge that her father was exactly where he belonged.
