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He let out an ani madly in front of her Waves of fury and confusion whipped froure Fear knotted her belly, but she kept her breathing even, knowing this was going to be the hardest thing she’d ever done, getting hiritted out "Neverto tell you that night, but then you said you were leaving, and I knew, Tristan, I just knew if I told you about the baby, you’d feel trapped You didn’t want to stay with o to New York withyourself for seven fucking years? You never gave me a chance!"

"Lower your voice," she hissed Fear choked her at the idea of Becca co hands tight around her body Soht "I saw your face You were like an anie, and I was your jailer You would’ve hatedyou into a life you resented You would’ve hated both of us, and I swear to God, I was not going to do that to my child My parents didn’t want ive Becca a life of regrets!"

"And what about the second ti rooain to co uy to hide the truth?"

"He was ready to be a father to Becca He wanted toI thought I wanted, the type of security I dreamed about for our baby! He wanted what you didn’t!"

"Then why did he leave?"

"Because I couldn’t love him the way he deserved," she choked out "He knew it, and so did I We tried, but we realized after Becca was born, he could never take the place of you"

He whirled around, ed her ears "She doesn’t know anything, does she?" he asked "About me?"

Sydney prayed for cal him understand why she’d ht now, he ild, in pain, and ready to attack She needed to keep her control so they didn’t begin screa theot a job in Australia when she was six -distance, but we both knew the e was over We decided it would be best if he stayed out of her life so she didn’t get confused He’s reh to ask questions, I explained her father lived far away for his job and couldn’t come home I explained he may not be a part of her life, but she was celebrated the day she was born and she was a precious gift"

"And she just accepted your weak explanation? Never asked why? Never deed in a breath "No But I’ more questions and know I’ll have to face a discussion when she gets old enough to truly understand"

"What did you plan on telling her? More lies? Were you gonna pretend I never existed?"

She held her ground "No I knew one day the truth needed to come out, for everyone I just wasn’t ready to face it all back then, and Becca was too young to understand I thought you’d left for good, Tristan When you came back because of your father’s will, you were so cold toto do with either of us I couldn’t take it It was only recently when you began to mend our relationship that I knew the truth had to be told"

He gave a bitter laugh, staring at her with disdain and resentot to decide everything I don’t think I believe you were going to tell me about Becca If I hadn’t pushed this relationship forward, you would’ve kept the truth from me forever Dear God, I’ve been back for two years! I sat next to Becca, talked to her, took her to that damn recital, and all the time she was ood idea is because we ended up in bed with each other"

She winced but held firm "I always intended to tell you eventually"

"I don’t believe you Do you kno et back Do you knohat that feels like, Sydney?"

Eyes glittering with fury, he stepped toward her, his ht with drawn tension "Hoould you feel if you found out you had a daughter and missed the first seven years of her life? Missed her first step, first word, first smile? And you had no choice, because the person you once trusted decided to keep her fro her eyes "I would be heartbroken," she whispered "Angry Full of pain But I’ you to think back to that ti, and scared, and our relationship had blown up after your mother’s death I didn’t knohat to do! The idea of you being trapped in Harrington, with me and a babyThat wasn’t your future I knew it, and you knew it You can tell yourself whatever excuses you need and blame me, but I made the best decision I could I needed to make sure this baby felt loved and not like an accident Becca will always be onized roar, and the tears flowed faster God, she’d done this to hiave me a chance Even when I came back, and you had opportunities to tell ain, his face haunted "Even in bed, withwe had this connection nothing could break, you lied"

A sob choked her "I knew after that night together we had another chance A chance to be a family I wanted to tell you both the truth so we can ether"

In that mo hie He stared at the wall, his voice completely dead "You took her away froer, when she’s my flesh and blood--part of the Pierce dynasty--and I swear to God, I’ll never forgive you for that Never"

"Tristan"