He slowly raised his withered hand and waved it gently at the camera. A gesture that said go.
"Go, Paul. Hold on to what truly matters. Don't be like me. Don't spend your life with regrets."
I froze. Blood felt like it stopped moving. This was the first time Father ever dropped his pride, showed his weakness andremorse, the first time he treated me like his son instead of the Vincent heir.
Tears flooded my eyes instantly, vision blurred, chest tight but wrapped in enormous warmth. I clutched the phone, voice breaking but clear.
"Thank you, Father."
I knew. From this moment on, I wasn't Paul Vincent, prisoner of the family anymore. I was Casey's rock. Tommy's father. A man brave enough to face his heart and protect the ones he loved.
Chapter Thirty
Casey
The room was dark except for weak moonlight seeping through the window. I lay in bed, eyes wide open, body exhausted but sleep nowhere in sight.
I kept rehearsing every word I'd say in court tomorrow—the details of Tommy's birth, the daily care I'd given him over six years, my life and work in Hawaii. Over and over, I went through it all.
Tomorrow was the hearing. I couldn't afford any mistakes, couldn't let myself fall apart. Six years of fighting and holding on, all the times I'd gritted my teeth and pushed through—it all came down to tomorrow.
Heaven or hell. And all I could do was prepare every last detail.
The door opened softly. Paul came in. He didn't turn on the light, just walked to the bed in the moonlight and sat down beside me.
He took my clenched hand, his thumb stroking my knuckles, steadying my frayed nerves.
"Still awake." His voice was gentle. "Going over tomorrow's testimony?"
I turned to look at him. The moonlight caught his features clearly—the bloodshot eyes, the dark circles underneath, the stubble on his jaw. He looked even more exhausted than I felt.
"I can't stop. I have to get it all right. Paul, I'm so scared." His grip tightened.
I kept going. "What if we lose? What if the judge believes them? What if they take Tommy away from me? I don't know how I'd survive that."
Paul spoke immediately, no hesitation. "That won't happen. I promise you."
"Casey, tomorrow you don't need to perform. Don't force anything, don't argue. Just tell the truth. How you raised Tommy these six years, how you've been there for him, how you built a stable life for him. Tell it exactly as it happened. That's enough. Marcus and I will handle the rest."
He paused, his voice even steadier. "The records you kept, the community testimonies, the hospital recommendations, all the evidence we've gathered. It all proves you're the right person to raise Tommy. The life you built in Hawaii, the care you've given him. It speaks for itself. The judge will see the truth. The law is on our side."
But I still couldn't relax. Tears spilled down my face, landing on our joined hands. "I'm still terrified. What if they have something we don't know about? What if they cheat their way to winning? What if I can't protect what I've spent six years building?"
Paul didn't offer more reassurances. He just shifted, pulling me into his arms. His chest was solid and warm, his heartbeat steady and strong against my ear, slowly calming my racing thoughts.
I leaned into him, the defenses I'd held up too long finally crumbling. The emotions I'd kept bottled up came flooding out.
I wrapped my arms tight around his waist, buried my face in his shirt, voice breaking. "Paul, no matter what happens tomorrow, thank you for staying with me through this. Six years ago, when I left Boston, I thought I'd hate you forever. Hate you for being absent, for being powerless."
Paul held me tighter, his chin resting gently on top of my head. "I know, Casey. I owe you and Tommy more than I can ever repay. Six years ago, I failed to protect you. This time I won't let go."
He lifted my face gently and kissed me softly, settling my scattered heart.
We held each other in silence until a soft knock came at the door. Lina's voice filtered through. "Ella, can I come in?"
I pulled away from Paul quickly, wiping the tears from my face, steadying my breathing. Paul got up and opened the door. Lina walked in carrying a soft blanket. She saw my state immediately, concern filling her eyes.
She came to the bed and took my hand. "I knew you wouldn't sleep tonight. Came to keep you company. I understand the anxiety. Anyone in your position would be scared."
