Dominic strapped Anya safely in the back seat, glancing at her through the rearview mirror every few seconds. She was humming softly, clutching the teddy bear like it was her new best friend. The sight made something in his chest ache a mix of pride, love, and guilt all tangled into one.
When they got home, he helped her out of the car and carried her school bag in. "Alright, little lady," he said, kneeling to her level, "time to change out of your uniform."
"Yes, daddy," she said playfully, and the word daddy rolled out of her mouth like music.
Dominic froze for a second before smiling. "That's right, princess."
He helped her change into her pajamas, then sat beside her at the table, guiding her through her assignments. It turned out she didn't need much help she zipped through math problems faster than he could double-check the answers.
"Okay, okay," he said, raising his hands in mock defeat. "You might be smarter than your old man already."
