Pearl POV
I didn’t know how long I sat there clutching the letter to my chest. The candle beside me had melted halfway down, wax dripping like the tears staining my cheeks. My breathing was ragged, my heart aching as though someone had reached inside me and torn it apart.
My palm slid over my stomach. The gentle swell wasn’t visible yet, but I knew. I could feel them. Four little lives, quiet and waiting. His children. My children.
I closed my eyes, rocking slightly as if to comfort them. “Your father loves you,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “He loves you more than you’ll ever know. And I..” My throat tightened, cutting the words short.
I pressed my lips together and tried again. “I thought he was the one who took everything from me. I hated him. I hated him so much that I couldn’t
