Chapter 1 - The Dog Bowl
“Grandpa… I’m hungry.”
Emma’s voice was barely louder than a whisper.
Five years old.
Dirty knees.
Tangled hair.
A shirt two sizes too small because Maya had left her at Rocky’s house for only one afternoon—not long enough to imagine anyone would let her look like this.
Rocky Bennett sat at the dining table surrounded by roast chicken, potatoes, bread, and untouched dessert.
He looked at Emma.
Then picked up a bone.
“Hungry?”
Emma nodded.
Rocky tossed the bone into the dog bowl.
It clattered against the metal.
“Trash belongs in its proper place.”
Emma stared at him.
For a moment, she didn’t move.
Then hunger won.
She walked to the bowl.
Sat on the floor.
Picked up the bone.
That was the moment the front door opened.
Maya stepped inside carrying two grocery bags.
“Emma?”
She froze.
One bag slipped from her hand.
Her daughter was sitting beside the dog bowl.
Eating.
Maya’s face changed.
She crossed the room so fast Rocky barely stood.
“Baby.”
She lifted Emma from the floor.
Emma wrapped both arms around her neck.
“He said I’m not his granddaughter.”
Maya slowly turned.
Rocky showed no shame.
“She isn’t.”
Maya placed Emma behind her.
Then walked directly toward him.
The slap cracked through the room.
Rocky stumbled backward onto the dining table.
The table tipped.
Plates crashed.
Glasses shattered.
Dinner slid onto the floor.
Rocky landed among it.
“You crazy—”
Maya reached into her pocket.
Pulled out a folded report.
Rocky stopped speaking.
Maya’s voice became terrifyingly calm.
“Then look at whose name is signed on this.”
She threw the report into his face.
It slid onto his chest.
Maya picked Emma up.
Rocky grabbed the paper.
His eyes moved across the page.
Once.
Twice.
His arrogance disappeared.
“What the hell is this?”
Maya walked toward the door.
Behind her, Rocky whispered one name.
“No…”
Maya stopped.
Rocky looked at the bottom of the DNA report again.
At the signature he recognized instantly.
May you like
His face turned white.
Because that signature belonged to someone Rocky had spent twenty-eight years pretending no longer existed.
