Emily finally turned, surprised not by his presence, but by the tone in his voice, something softer, less guarded, something that felt human rather than controlled or calculated.
“You were protecting him,” she replied gently, not excusing him, but understanding him in a way few people ever had, her empathy cutting through his defenses without confrontation or resistance.
Marcus exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair, a rare gesture of vulnerability that no boardroom had ever witnessed, his composure slipping just enough to reveal something deeper beneath.
“I thought I knew what that meant,” he said, his voice quieter now, almost uncertain, as if admitting that knowledge alone had never prepared him for the reality of being a father.
