My dad remarried and urgently summoned me home. As soon as I saw my stepmother and her pregnant belly, I was shocked, burst into tears, turned around, and ran away…

I ran straight to the river, where, as a boy, I used to fly kites and sit with my mother on windy afternoons. I fell to the ground, clutched my head, and screamed into the wind. Why Sophia? Why the one person who filled my silent dreams? And now she stood beside my father, carrying his child.

At dusk, my father found me. He sat down next to me, his voice heavy with age and sadness.

“Daniel, I know it’s hard. But I can’t hide it anymore. I was alone for years and felt unbearable. Sophia came into my life by chance. We supported each other. She cares for me… and for you too.”

I jumped to my feet and looked into his tired eyes, my voice breaking with pain:

“Do you even realize? I loved her! She was my youth, my everything! And now she’s your wife. Do you understand what this does to me?!”

Dad froze, his eyes turning red, but his tone remained calm.

“I didn’t know. If I had known… maybe everything would have turned out differently. But Daniel, you have to understand—teenage love is just a memory. Now Sophia and the baby need a family.”

I laughed bitterly. His words cut through me like a knife.

The next day, Sophia came looking for me. Her voice trembled, her eyes searching mine.

“Daniel… I’m sorry. I know you cared about me once, but we were too young. I cared about you too, but I never thought we’d have a future together. Life took its course and somehow led me to your father. I never meant to hurt you.”

I clenched my fists, my throat was tight:

“You say you didn’t want to hurt me, yet you chose my father. Do you know how unbearable that is?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she protectively wrapped her arms around her swollen belly. Looking at her, I felt torn—anger and pity colliding within me.

That night I opened the old drawer that held my mother’s last letter. Her familiar handwriting read:

“Daniel, I only hope you live a life of kindness and learn to love and respect your family. If one day your father remarries, please forgive him. Don’t let him grow old alone.”

Tears soaked the paper. My heart broke, but her words gave me strength.