Julian's POV
The hospital text notification still glowed on my phone screen, but I couldn't bring myself to leave just yet. There was more footage to see, more truth to uncover about the man I had been. I reopened my laptop, hands trembling slightly as I navigated back to the security archives.
I needed to understand the full extent of my failures.
The screen flickered to life, displaying our living room from three years ago. Aurelia sat cross-legged on the floor with Violet—my beautiful little girl with her mother's emerald eyes and my black hair. My chest tightened at the sight of her tiny face, so animated and full of life.
"Look, sweetheart," Aurelia said, opening a photo album. "This is your daddy."
Violet leaned forward, her small finger touching my face in the photograph. "Daddy?"
"Yes, that's right," Aurelia encouraged. "Can you say 'Daddy'?"
"Da...Daddy!" Violet exclaimed, clapping her hands.
