I never really had parents. They died when I was seven. After that, it was just me and my uncle. He was single, always pissed off, and I learned pretty fast to stay quiet and not get in his way. Didn’t always work. Most of the time, I was just something he could take his anger out on. There was one time… yeah. I don’t think about that. I don’t need to.

High school wasn’t anything special. I wasn’t popular or anything. Just a skinny kid with decent grades. Kept my head down, did my work. The only thing I had going for me looks-wise was my height, and even that didn’t do much back then.

When I was 17, I hooked up with Eliana. She was popular—like, actually popular—and I still don’t really know how that even happened. We started talking, then hanging out, and yeah… one thing led to another. It wasn’t anything serious. At least, I didn’t think it was.

Then she moved schools. Just like that. No goodbye, no explanation. I never heard from her again.

At 18, I enlisted. College was never really an option. Didn’t have the money, didn’t have the grades for a scholarship, and honestly… I just needed to get out. The army felt like the only way forward, so I took it.

Three years later, I came back. And that’s when everything got flipped on its head.

I found out I had a daughter.

Lily. Three and a half years old.

I remember just staring when they told me. Like my brain couldn’t even process it. Eliana had her, then just… left. Didn’t tell me, didn’t want anything to do with me, with the kid, with any of it. Just disappeared and left Lily in the system.

I fought for her. No hesitation. Went through everything they threw at me, and somehow, I won. She was mine.

And yeah, we weren’t exactly living some perfect life after that. I started working construction since I was off duty. Long hours, shit pay sometimes, always tired. We weren’t rich. Hell, we were broke as fuck most days. But she had food, a place to sleep, and me. That was enough.

I never planned on having a wife. Never even thought about it. I didn’t want anyone coming in and messing with what I had with Lily. She was everything. My kid. My little sunshine. The only good thing that ever really stuck.

One night, I went to a club. Lily was staying with her grandparents—Eliana’s parents. They’d cut Eliana off, but they still showed up for Lily. Helped out when they could.

I don’t remember much from that night. Just flashes. Music too loud, too many drinks, some girl laughing at something I said. That’s about it.

Then I woke up.

In my bed.

There was a woman next to me. Half wrapped around me, half falling off the edge like she didn’t even know where she ended up. Her hair was a mess. She was n*ked.

So was I.

I just froze.

Yeah… that wasn’t part of the plan.