Chapter 45

Summer's gaze remained unyielding, her emotions a tempest she struggled to contain. "Understand what, Legacy? The damage has been done."

A mixture of regret and remorse flickered across his features, his shoulders sagging beneath the weight of their shared history. "I know I can't change the past, but I can't help but feel a connection to this baby, to you."

A bitter laugh escaped Summer's lips, the sound as brittle as her resolve. "A connection born out of a reckless disregard for the consequences of your actions?"

Legacy's eyes bore into hers, the rawness of his expression baring the complexities of his emotions. "I was young, stupid, and I made mistakes. But I can't erase the past. I want to be there for this child, to be a father."

“Young? What the fuck! Right, stupid, I couldn’t agree more. You’re way worse than that.” The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken words. As Summer's gaze held Legacy's, she saw the remnants of a man who had once shattered her heart. And yet, i