Chapter 57

The kitchen was filled with the smell of garlic and sesame oil. I stood near the stove, stirring the sizzling vegetables with one hand while holding Lily’s little drawing in the other. “Does it look like Daddy?” she asked, standing on the stool beside me, peering into the paper she had just finished. I glanced down and smiled. The drawing was of Logan—well, a version of him with bright blue eyes, a rainbow tie, and a crown on his head. “Yes,” I said gently. “Very handsome.” She grinned, pleased, then hopped down from the stool, skipping into the dining room. I looked at the clock. Logan would be back soon. Earlier that day, after he handed me the contract for the comic licensing, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I was overwhelmed. It was too big. And too hard to accept. So, I had decided to cook a full dinner tonight—to show my thanks, but also to draw a clear line. I used my salary, the money I earned by myself. I wanted Logan to know I wasn’t relying on him. When he walked in that