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"Don't," Daddy said firmly, catching my hands as I tried to cover my face. "Don't apologize for that. Ever."
"But it's weird," I protested weakly. "It's not normal for a grown man to—"
"It's beautiful," Daddy interrupted. "That you trusted me with such an important part of yourself means everything."
I stared at him, confused by his acceptance. "You don't think it's... disturbing?"
"Disturbing?" Daddy repeated, looking genuinely perplexed. "Matty, I spent the last two days reading you dinosaur books, helping you color, and making sure Patches and Bear were properly introduced to Princess. None of that was disturbing."
Despite everything, a small laugh escaped me. "Princess?"
"Annabel's stuffie," Daddy explained with a slight smile. "Bolt's Little visited. You had a playdate."
I remembered but I groaned, covering my face again. "How many people saw me like that?"
"Just a few," Daddy assured me. "Daisy, Bolt and Annabel, Maria. And they all adored you." His voice softened. "No one thought less of you, Matty. In fact, quite the opposite."
I peeked through my fingers. "Really?"
"Really," he confirmed. "Daisy's practically adopted you. And Bolt was incredibly helpful with advice on how to care for you properly."
"You asked for advice?" I couldn't hide my surprise.
Daddy looked slightly sheepish. "I wanted to do right by you. Bolt's been a Daddy for years."
The term sent a shiver through me—not unpleasant, just complicated. "So what happens now?"
"Now," Daddy said carefully, "we focus on keeping you safe while we get evidence on Coombes to prove he's stealing from your trust fund. If we can prove it, along with his connection to the attempts on your life, we can put him away for good."
I stared at him, trying to process this new information. "He's been stealing from me?"
"For years," Daddy confirmed grimly. "At least five million, maybe more."
"Five million?" I repeated, stunned. "How did I not know?" The pieces were falling into place—Harold's insistence that I was financially irresponsible, his control over my accounts, his determination to prevent me from fulfilling the trust conditions.
"He never wanted me to get control of the trust," I realized. "He's been using it as his personal piggy bank."
Daddy nodded. "And when you found a way to meet the marriage requirement without his approval..."
"He decided it was easier to kill me," I finished, a cold certainty settling in my bones. "My own godfather."
Daddy's arm wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me against his solid warmth. "I won't let him hurt you, Matty. I promise you that."
I leaned into him, too emotionally exhausted to maintain my distance. "I believe you."
"Can I ask how he knows?"
I looked up at Daddy and snuggled closer. "Degrassi, definitely," I whispered, but another memory teased at me.
We sat in silence for several minutes, his hand stroking my arm in a soothing rhythm. Finally, I gathered my courage to ask the question weighing on me.
"What about us?" I whispered. "Is this... are we..."
"Real?" Daddy supplied. "That depends on you. My feelings are real. What happens next is your choice."
I looked up at him, studying the sincerity in his blue eyes. "I don't know what I want yet. This is all... overwhelming."
"Take your time," he said gently. "We still have a contract, if nothing else. I'll keep you safe until this is over, regardless of what you decide about us."