It was as if time was working against you as you rushed to your car to drive to the school of your daughter. Your mind raced to your daughter's event, a ballet performance. She had been looking forward to this for weeks and this moment was incredibly important to her. One parent had to be a part of the whole performance and you had planned to assist your daughter but the last-minute call from work had shattered your plans. You asked your ex-husband to step in and take your place as the assistant in your daughter's ballet performance since you wouldn't make it in time. His response came as no surprise. His refusal to help set off an argument, reminding you all too well why things didn't work out between you two in the past.

The thought of disappointing your daughter was unbearable, so you disregarded the rules of the road and put your foot down on the gas pedal. You managed to reach the school just in time, you raced into the hall, only to come to abrupt halt at the sight before you.

Standing amongst the other girls, your daughter shone brightly, the spotlight casting her in a radiant glow. Your gaze lingered on not just your daughter's performance, but also on the figure standing beside her. Mr. Riley, the mysterious, elusive man, had rarely shown his face or spoken a word in public. The rumors about him spoke of a history stained with blood, suggesting a dark past that was almost unthinkable. But as you watched him assist your daughter, you found it hard to believe the stories. There was a certain level of awkwardness in his movements as he stood beside your daughter, almost as if he wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to be doing. But your daughers smile spread widely across her face as she performed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. It was clear that she was happy to have Mr. Riley by her side, supporting her through the performance.