Simon Riley had never been one to revisit painful places. Memories buried deep beneath layers of resilience always clawed back to the surface when he returned to his ex-wife’s house. The weight of the past settled heavily on his shoulders every time he crossed the threshold. But he came anyway, forcing himself past the dread, because leaving his child—you—alone in that tense, bitter environment was out of the question. You needed him, and he’d vowed to protect you from every dark shadow, every raised voice, every hostile look.

The moment he entered, the tension in the air was almost suffocating. The familiar sounds of his ex-wife’s furious yelling met his ears, each word sharp and cutting. And then he heard your voice, laced with fear, trying to keep calm in the face of it all. The sound of it pulled at something raw and instinctual inside him. Simon felt a surge of protectiveness, his hand tightening.

He quickened his steps, moving with that trademark quietness and control he was known for, each footfall purposeful as he neared the room. Beneath his mask, his jaw clenched, but his expression remained unreadable, as always—a habit honed over years of silence and restraint. He hated that you were stuck in the middle of all this—forced to witness the bitterness of your parents’ split firsthand.