Chapter 70

Howard's POV

I watched Lucy standing in the hallway, her hands clasped tightly behind her back - a nervous habit she'd picked up recently. Her question about Annie and me still lingered: "So is it that you don't love Dad, or Dad doesn't love you?"

I'd witnessed Annie's momentary paralysis at those words, seen the complicated emotions flickering across her face before she'd managed to redirect Lucy's attention to breakfast. But Lucy,showing that remarkable persistence that sometimes made me forget her age, hadn't let the subject drop.

"Dad?" Lucy's voice drew me from my thoughts as she approached, her school uniform already perfectly arranged - another habit she'd picked up from Annie. "Can we talk?"

I nodded, recognizing the determined set of her jaw. "Of course.Would you like to use the study?"

She nodded firmly. Once inside, she climbed into her usual leather chair -the one that made her look even smaller. When had I started thinking of it as hers?

"Mom wouldn't answer my question," Lucy said bluntly. "About whether you love each other."

I kept my face neutral, though her directness caught me off guård."What made you think about this?"

"Because of Penny's dad," she frowned. "He was mean to Penny's mom because they weren't married anymore. But you and Mom aren't married at all." The child's logic made me pause. "Lucy, adult relationships are complicated."

"But you *are* dating Mom, right? Her fingers twisted in her skirt. "That s what everyone says."

I studied her worried face. "Yes, we are."

"Then why don't you kiss her more? Or hold hands?" Lucy's frown deepened. "Other parents do that."

Her words hit something inside me. How many times had I wanted to reach for Annie? To hold her hand, pull her close? But our arrangement had rules - rules that felt increasingly difficult to follow.

"Your mother," I chose my words carefully, "was hurt before. By Philip Baker."

"Brian's dad," Lucy nodded seriously. "He made Mom sad."

"Yes. When someone's been hurt like that, they need time to trust again."

Lucy played with her uniform hem. "But you won't hurt her like that,right?"

"No," I said firmly. "I won't."

"Promise?" She fixed me with an intense stare.

"I promise." The certainty in my voice surprised even me.

Lucy seemed satisfied, then asked, "When will we be a real family?"

The question hit harder than expected. When had this fake relationship started feeling real?

"We already are a family," I said. "Just different from others." "But not a *married* family," she persisted.

I leaned closer. "Lucy, marriage isn't what makes a family real. What matters is feeling safe and cared for. Do you feel safe with Annie and me?"

"Yes." She bit her lip - just like Annie does. "But what if something goes wrong? Like with Penny's parents?"

"That won't happen." I said, my voice rougher than usual. "I won't let it."

Lucy studied my face. "Can I help? To make sure Mom stays?"

Something tightened in my chest. "You already help more than you know.You make your mother smile every day."

Her face brightened."Really?"

"Really. You're essential to this family,Lucy."

The drive to school proved more complicated than usual, with Lucy's morning questions apparently inspiring new ones.

"So you and Mom are dating?" she asked from the backseat,her tone carrying a hint of challenge.

"Yes," Annie confirmed, maintaining our cover story. Though she spoke to Lucy, I caught her quick glance in my direction through the rearview mirror.

"But you don't act like it at home," Lucy observed shrewdly. "You barely even look at each other sometimes."

I kept my expression neutral, though Annie's slight intake of breath was audible in the sudden silence. "We're... being considerate," I explained carefully. "We didn't want to make you uncomfortable." "But I want you to be more like real dlating people," Lucy declared. "Like how Thomas's parents always hold hands."

The request created an immediate tension in the car. I could sense Annie's discomfort without looking at her, could feel the weight of our pretense pressing down more heavily than usual.

As we pulled into the school parking lot, I made a decision. Taking Lucy's words as permission, I reached for Annie's hand as we walked toward the building. Her fingers tensed momentarily before relaxing into my grip, the simple contact sending an unexpected surge of satisfaction through me.

Lucy,however,had an immediate and surprising reaction to seeing this display of affection. Her earlier enthusiasm vanished, replaced by a sudden anxious energy that had her pressing closer to Annie's other side.

Lucy's reaction surprised us both. She pressed against Annie's other side,suddenly anxious.

"Actually," her voice went small, "maybe you don't have to hold hands∗al1∗the time."

Annie immediately dropped my hand and knelt beside her. "What's wrong,sweetheart?"

Lucy shrugged, then spotted her friend. "I see Penny!" She ran off, already chattering about their speaking competition.

"She's afraid," Annie said quietly. "Of losing what we have."

"The mind of a child who's experienced loss is complex," I replied,remembering Lucy's early days of silence. "She wants us to be closer,but that same closeness threatens the security she's found in her current relationship with you."

Lucy had already lost one family. Her fear made sense,even if she'd pushed for this.

"Okay,let's head to work."

The sound of tires on concrete interrupted my thoughts. Philip Baker's Mercedes was parked haphazardly across my reserved space, the man himself emerging with an unsteady gait. His usual polished appearance was notably disheveled - wrinkled suit, loosened tie, dark circles under his eyes.

Annie tensed beside me as she recognized him. Without conscious thought,I shifted slightly, positioning myself between them. But as I studied her expression, I saw no fear there - only calm determination. In the months since I'd known her, Annie had proven herself more than capable of handling difficult situations with remarkable composure.

"Annie," Philip called out, his voice rough. "We needto talk."

I stepped forward, muscles coiled with controlled tension. "Whatever you have to say can wait."

Annie's hand touched my arm, the gesture both restraining and reassuring.Her eyes met mine with quiet confidence - the same strength I'd seen when she faced down corporate board members or handled Lucy's most challenging moments.

"It's okay," she said softly. "Ten minutes, Philip. That's a1l. And after this,you stop whatever this is."

Philip's face twisted with some complex emotion, but he nodded.

"I'll be fine," Annie squeezed my arm gently. "Go to work. I'll call you after." Part of me still wanted to stay, to shield her from whatever desperate pleas or accusations Philip might make. But Annie wasn't some fragile creature needing protection. She was the woman who'd rebuilt her life from scratch.who'd earned the respect of our entire executive team, who faced every challenge with unwavering dignity. She could handle this.

"If you need anything..."

"I know." A slight smile curved her lips- the confident one I'd come to admire."T'll call."