?<strong>Chapter 444:</strong>


    That night, when Adrian returned home, Aurora approached him with a somber expression and clung to his leg.


    “You’ll be a good daddy, won’t you?”


    Adrian returned home, determined to have a proper conversation with Aurora.


    It had been days since his daughterst spoke to him. With Joelle still in aa and Aurora keeping her distance, Adrian felt a deep sense of loss. The two people who had once meant everything to him now felt out of reach.


    Thest time they had spoken, Aurora had used him of keeping too much from her. Her words had forced him to reflect.


    If he truly wanted to respect her, he needed to stop treating her like a child.


    Aurora, with her small frame, climbed into a chair across from him at the dining table. Despite her age, she wasn’t naive.


    Adrian knew it was time to be honest.


    “The story between your mom and me… it’s a long one,” he began.


    Recounting their past, from the moment they first met to everything that had followed, could take days.


    But even starting from their marriage was difficult for Adrian.


    How could he exin the selfishness, indifference, and coldness he had shown towards Joelle?


    Seconds ticked by in silence, but Aurora waited patiently.


    She waited for Adrian to confront the tumultuous past that had shaped their broken family.


    He was an awful father and an even worse husband.


    “I’m sorry,” Adrian finally said, the words heavy with regret.


    Aurora’s eyes reflected confusion and pain. After listening to Adrian’s ount, she sensed the coldness he had once shown towards her mother.


    “Your mom was right to leave me,” he admitted, his voice tight with guilt. “I was too much back then. Remember, Aurora, if someone hurts you, you must walk away.”


    Aurora’s emotions swirled as she looked at him. “Why did you hurt Mom so much? She really liked you.”


    Adrian could offer no defense. “There were misunderstandings between us. I’m sorry for all of it.”


    He didn’t bring up the ugly details—like how he had believed Joelle had drugged him, knowing it wouldn’t change anything. Some wrongs were beyond justification.


    Aurora wiped her eyes. “Are you really going to be good to Mom and me now?”


    “Yes,” he answered without hesitation.


    “What if you can’t?”


    “The punishment will be up to you.”


    Aurora slid off the chair, standing before him. Her small hand reached out, extending her pinky. In her world, this simple gesture was a solemn vow.


    “If you ever hurt Mom again, I’ll never see you as my dad.”


    Adrian’s heart swelled with emotion. “So, you see me as your dad now?”


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