Chapter 4 - The Terms of Engagement
Naomi stared at the signed waiver for a long time, her fingers tracing the edge of the paper. The silence in the office was suffocating.
"Do you think fatherhood is a hobby, Andrew?" she asked, her voice dangerously quiet. "Do you think you can just show up on weekends, take them to a zoo, buy them some toys, and feel good about yourself?"
"No," I said. "I know it’s hard work. I want to do the work."
"They don't know who you are," Naomi said, her voice cracking slightly. "They think their father died before they were born. I didn't want them to grow up thinking they weren't wanted. So I told them their dad was a brave man who went away and couldn't come back. Last night... they saw you. They asked me why I lied to them."
The guilt hit me like a physical blow. "I am so sorry, Naomi. I am so, so sorry."
"I don't care about your apologies, Andrew," she said, standing up and walking to the window. "But I care about my daughters. They are smart. They are observant. And they deserve the truth."
She turned back to face me, her expression hardening into a look of absolute determination.
"If you want to be in their lives, we do this on my terms. No shortcuts. No luxury gifts to buy their affection. You will start as a family friend. A colleague of mine. You will meet them for one hour a week at a park. You will help them with their homework. You will listen to them. And if you miss a single appointment, if you are late even once, or if you ever make them feel like they are second best... I will take them and we will disappear to Europe, and you will never see them again."
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"I agree," I said instantly, without a single hesitation. "I'll do whatever you ask."
"We start this Saturday," Naomi said, her voice shaking slightly. "Ten o'clock at Millennium Park. Don't disappoint them, Andrew. Because if you do, I won't just sue you—I will destroy you."
