?<strong>Chapter 203:</strong>


    From the corner of her eye, Joelle spotted Rafael standing at the doorway.


    “Daddy!” Aurora called out, reaching for him.


    Rafael approached with a smile, though Joelle could tell it was forced. Her own smile didn’t feel quite genuine either.


    That night, once the children were asleep, Rafael entered Joelle’s room of his own volition. “Joelle, I believe we need to tell Aurora the truth—that I’m not her biological father.”


    Joelle felt her heart race, her anxiety clear. “Is this the thing you’ve been wanting to discusstely?” Rafael was uncertain about his own feelings. He had hoped that upon their return to the country, life with Joelle would stabilize. However, he had been wrestling with a nagging insecurity every day since their return. The guilt weighed on him each time Aurora called him “Daddy.”


    “Joelle, I’m not Aurora’s real dad. If we don’t tell her, someone else might, and that would be far worse. Also, we can’t deny Adrian his rights to see his daughter.”


    “That’s not going to happen!” Joelle stood abruptly, agitated. Her daughter was her world. She couldn’t let Adrian take Aurora away.


    “Adrian doesn’t want to care for Aurora; he just wants to take her from me!”


    “Joelle, please, try to calm down.”


    “I am calm, I truly am!” Joelle took a deep breath, tears starting to form. “You haven’t heard what he told me. He said he wanted to get custody of Aurora.”


    Rafael was surprised, focusing on a new detail, asking, “You met with him alone?”


    Joelle quickly rified, “It was unintentional. I got lost and bumped into him purely by chance.”


    “What did you talk about?”


    Recalling the earlier demeaning encounter made it difficult for Joelle to articte her thoughts. Rafael could no longer contain his frustration. “This is what I’ve been worried about. Joelle, you haven’tpletely severed ties with Adrian.”


    “Rafael!” Joelle eximed, reaching out to grasp his wrist. They had enjoyed three years of happiness together. Why had every day since their return devolved into disputes?


    “Listen to me, Rafael!” Struggling to gather her thoughts, Joelle remembered Katherine’s advice about fighting for one’s love. If she didn’t stand her ground now, she risked losing Rafael. “Adrian no longer holds a ce in my heart. You are Aurora’s father in my eyes. You’ve been with her through everything for thest three years. You’re a better father to her than Adrian could ever be! Rafael, I want us to keep our family as it is. Isn’t it wonderful having our own family?”


    She stepped closer and embraced him from behind. In that embrace, she fully grasped the depth of Rafael’s worries and fears. Understanding his perspective, how could she, as Aurora’s mother, not share his fear of Adrian’s potential interference?


    “Rafael.”


    Rafael took her hand. “Joelle, are you only with me to keep our family together, not because you have feelings for me?”


    Joelle trembled, involuntarily taking a step back. Rafael faced her, his voice steady. “Your feelings for me will never match what you felt for Adrian, right?” Hisposed demeanor deeply affected her, and she repeatedly shook her head. “No, you’ve got it all wrong!”


    “Forget it. I’m satisfied with what we have now.” Rafael ran his fingers through her hair, cradling the back of her head. Joelle felt suffocated.


    “Just having you by my side is enough, Joelle. There’s nothing wrong with us continuing as a family like this.” He ended with a rueful smile, closed his eyes, and kissed her with restrained resolve. Joelle did her best to reciprocate, understanding the sacrifices needed to maintain a stable family environment for their children.


    Her feelings for Rafael wereplex and not easily definable at this point. Yet, this did not hinder their continuation together. After all, marriage often involved sacrifices andmitments. If love were the only reason for marriage, loveless marriages would not be asmon.


    She began to unbutton Rafael’s shirt, and he picked her up. Just as he was about toy Joelle on the bed, they were interrupted by a knock.


    “Mommy, I want to sleep with you,” Aurora called out.


    Joelle and Rafael quickly adjusted theirposure.


    “You should start sleeping by yourself, Aurora.” Joelle had never felt so guilty in her life. The slight tremor in her voice was noticed by Rafael.


    They shared an uneasy look, scratching their heads.


    From outside, Aurora protested again, “Then why can Daddy sleep with you? I heard Daddy’s voice! I want to sleep with both of you!”


    This caught Rafael off guard even more than Joelle. With Aurora around, the mood to continue had vanished. That night, for the first time, Joelle and Rafael shared their bed not just with each other but with Aurora and Rnd too.


    As she drifted off, Joelle still believed this was the life she truly desired.


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