---- Chapter 12 Leo shrieked and dove behind Ava, clinging to her legs. "Mommy, it's him! I'm scared!" Child's terror. Ava's protective instinct flared. Ava gently pushed Leo behind her, turning to face Mark with cold fury. "What are you doing here, Mark?" Protectiveness. Cold anger. Mark's eyes darted from Ava to Danny, then to Leo cowering behind her. "What am | doing here? What are *you* doing here, Ava? Getting cozy with this... this homewrecker? In front of my son?" Jealousy. Anger. A ridiculous accusation. "He's not a homewrecker, Mark," Ava said, her voice flat. "And you and | are divorced. Ex-spouses. Remember?" Dismissal. Finality. Mark's face flushed. "That divorce was a sham! A pretense! You know that! We were supposed to get back together!" Denial. Delusion. He clung to his fabricated reality. Ava let out a short, humorless laugh. "A pretense for *you* to appease Chloe, Mark. For me, it was real. It's legally real. ---- Check the paperwork." Sarcasm. A harsh reality check. Leo started to cry, tugging on Ava's jeans. "Mommy, can we go? Please? | don't like him." Child's distress. Desire for escape. Mark's anger shifted to Leo. "Leo! Come here! I'm your father! You listen to me!" He tried to assert his paternal role, his voice harsh. Anger. Possessiveness Leo sobbed harder, burying his face in Ava's legs. Child's fear, sadness. & Ava's control snapped. "He's not your father anymore, Mark! Not in any way that matters! A father doesn't abandon his son in the hospital! A father doesn't steal his son's opportunities for another woman's brat! A father doesn't terrify his own child!" Anger. Condemnation. Specific examples of his neglect poured out. "You don't deserve to be called his father." Ava turned, taking Leo's hand. "Come on, sweetie. Uncle Danny, let's go." Escape. Protection. Mark lunged forward, trying to grab Leo. "He's my son!" Danny stepped smoothly between them, blocking Mark's path. ---- "| think you should leave, Thompson," Danny said, his voice calm but firm. Frustration for Mark. Protection from Danny. Mark glared at Danny. "Stay out of this, Chen! This is between me and my wife!" Jealousy. An accusatory statement. He still saw Ava as his possession. Danny didn't flinch. "Ava is not your wife. And you're upsetting Leo. So, you need to leave." Dismissal. Confidence. Mark's face contorted with rage. "You're shameless, Chen! Moving in on my family the second | turn my back!" Hypocrisy. Anger. He, the adulterer, accused Danny of impropriety. Danny raised an eyebrow. "Shameless? That's rich, coming from you, Thompson. I'm here supporting my friend and her son. What were you doing? Oh, right. Marrying your mistress and abandoning your child." Exposure. Moral superiority. The direct comparison was brutal. Mark looked momentarily stunned, then his expression hardened with stubborn denial. Ava is just trying to make me jealous, he thought. She still loves me. This is all a game to her. Frustration. Self-deception. He rationalized away the truth. ---- Ava, Leo, and Danny walked away, leaving Mark standing alone, fuming. They returned to Ava's cottage. Relief. Peace. Leo, once calmed down, looked up at Danny with wide, hopeful eyes. "Uncle Danny, can you be my real daddy now? Mommy said Mark isn't my daddy anymore. | want you to be." Child's longing. A clear preference. Danny knelt, his expression gentle. "Leo, | would love to be whatever you need me to be. How about... for now, I'm your super-awesome godfather? And your mom's best friend and business partner?" Consideration. Acceptance. He offered a compromise to avoid pressuring Ava. Ava looked at Danny, gratitude welling up. He was so good with Leo, so patient. "Godfather sounds wonderful, Danny," she said, a small smile touching her lips. Acceptance. Relief. The next morning, Danny arrived with a briefcase. "Ava," he said, looking serious. "As Leo's new godfather, and as your friend... | want to do something." He opened the briefcase. It was full of documents. ---- "I'm transferring all my liquid tech stock, my Austin condo, and the seed fund | had set aside for my own kids someday... into a trust for Leo. With you as the sole trustee." He pushed a bank card across the table. "And this is for your bakery. Consider it an investment. Or a gift. Whatever you want." Shock for Ava. Overwhelming generosity. He was talking about millions. He was trying to give her everything. Ava stared at him, speechless, then stammered, "Danny! |... | can't! That's... that's insane! It's too much!" Shock. Disbelief. Awkwardness. This was beyond anything she could comprehend.