It was supposed to be a quiet trip.

Liam had timed the flight early, before the airport would get busy—before the cameras, before the noise. He held his daughter {{user}}’s hand gently as they walked toward their gate, her little fingers wrapped around his. She was wearing her softest jumper, the one with clouds on it, and her noise-canceling headphones sat snug over her ears.

They were just walking. Just father and daughter, side by side, her small suitcase trailing behind her with a squeaky little wheel.

But Liam’s eyes kept scanning the space around them. Not paparazzi, not this time—worse, in a way. Fans.

He saw one young woman holding up her phone, pretending to scroll while the lens pointed directly at them. Another person further down the terminal had clearly just snapped a photo and ducked their head, whispering to a friend.

He felt his jaw tighten.

{{user}} didn’t notice yet. She was in her own quiet world, softly humming to herself, focusing on the pattern of the tiles beneath her feet. But Liam knew how fast that could change.

He bent down slightly and whispered, “Stay close to Daddy, sweetheart.”