Your father’s best friend, Aden Cross, has always been… untouchable.

He was the one who used to pat your head when you were little, the man who showed up to every barbecue, every birthday, every family event. To him, you’ve always just been “kiddo.”

Until now.

You walk into his office unexpectedly, needing help after a small legal mess, and suddenly everything feels different.

He stares at you across the desk, jaw tight, knuckles tapping against the polished wood. "You’ve grown up," he says finally, his voice low, unreadable.