The evening stars

Everything is decided

— What are you talking about, Rachel? What full custody, why are you involving our daughter in this? — Alex tried to remain calm, but his voice betrayed his growing irritation.

Rachel turned sharply to him, her eyes sparkling with anger.

— You're getting involved in strange things, Alex, — she raised her voice. — I will not allow my daughter to see someone who betrayed our family.

— Betrayed? — Alex struggled to keep from raising his voice. — I am still her father, and you have no right to take that away from me.

Rachel bitterly smirked and crossed her arms over her chest, as if trying to shield herself from his words.

— You lost that right the moment you chose her, — the last word sounded like poison. – Do you even have any idea what I've been through? I lost not only you but also my best friend. And now you want me to just close my eyes and let Sam spend time with you?

Alex stepped closer, trying to find at least a shadow of the old understanding in her eyes, but instead saw only resentment and coldness.

— Rachel, listen to me. It was difficult for all of us, but Sam shouldn't suffer because of our mistakes. I am still her father, I love her, and I want her to know that her world hasn't fallen apart.

— You really don't understand, do you? — Rachel stepped forward, her voice trembling with anger and pain. — You destroyed everything, Alex. How are you going to explain this to her? How will you talk to her when she asks why you are no longer with us?

— I'll be honest, — Alex replied firmly, meeting her gaze. — I will tell her that there was not the kind of love between us that should exist between a husband and wife, but I will always be there for her as her father.

Rachel shook her head as if she couldn't believe his words.

— Do you think it's that easy? You destroyed our home, our life. And I won't let you easily get Sam back whenever it's convenient for you.

— It's not about my convenience, Rachel, — Alex raised his voice, his patience beginning to wear thin. – I'm doing this for Sam! You can't use her as a tool for revenge!

Rachel fell silent for a moment, her face turned pale, and a flash of pain crossed her eyes.

— Revenge? Do you really think this is revenge? — her voice became quiet, almost hoarse. — No, Alex. This is a defense. I am protecting her from the pain that you brought into our lives.

— But I don't want to hurt her! — Alex took a step forward, desperately trying to reach out to her. — She is my child, and I love her just as much as you do! And I will be with her, no matter what.

— Not in this house, — Rachel replied coldly. — Do you want to see her? Wonderful. You can look at her in the photos and videos that I will send you from time to time. Sam will live with me, where I can provide her with stability. I won't allow her to see the person who destroyed her family.

Alex silently looked at her, realizing that their conversation had reached a dead end.

— That's not the end yet, Rachel, — he said quietly but firmly.  —  I won't give her up.

Alex stood still, feeling his heart break. He left the bedroom, leaving behind a door that seemed to close forever.

Slowly, almost mechanically, his legs brought him to his daughter's room. He sank to the floor, staring at the drawing of Sam that was hanging on the wall. They were all three of them—he, Sam, and Rachel—holding hands and smiling. Alex's lips pressed together, and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

Rachel left home in the evening, taking all her belongings and Samantha's things. Alex stood by the window, watching as the car disappeared around the corner. The house, which just yesterday was filled with life, suddenly seemed foreign and cold to him. The rooms where Sam had recently played, where her laughter had echoed, now stood lifeless, as if there had never been any light or joy in them.

He slowly walked down the hallway to the children's room. It has always been noisy here, toys scattered around, drawings on the walls — all of this seemed like an unchanging part of life. Now the room was empty, the furniture stood bare, and when Alex stepped inside, a faint echo of his footsteps spread through the room. This echo weighed on him, as if some invisible and heavy thing had covered him completely.

He sat on the edge of the bed, Sam, and absentmindedly touched the pillow. It was all as if she had just stepped out for a minute, as if she would soon return and hug him, just like she always did before bedtime. But that will no longer happen. He knew that Samantha's childhood in this house had come to an end, just like his family life with Rachel.

Alex was trying to understand what he was feeling. Was it anger towards Rachel for leaving and taking their daughter with her, deciding everything for him? Or is it a feeling of hopelessness in the face of everything that is happening, in the face of the inevitability they have been heading towards for so long? Perhaps it was joy — the joy of realizing that he was now free, that his journey with Rachel had come to an end, and that he could start a new chapter in life with Sophie.

He understood that this was not the end. Their story with Sophie was just beginning, but it was entangled in the ruins of the past. Alex knew he would have to deal with the consequences — with the pain, with the guilt, with his daughter's broken heart. And yet, deep down, there was a glimmer of hope that something good might lie ahead, that they and Sophie could be happy together, despite everything that had happened.