Page 106 of Single Dad's Fake Bride
"Congratulations on the legal victory," he said, extending his hand with professional courtesy.
"Thank you, Robert. I appreciate the board's patience during this difficult period."
"Of course. The school needs strong, consistent leadership." He paused meaningfully. "Though I trust you understand that earning the community's full confidence will require time and demonstrated results in the classroom and beyond."
His message was crystal clear—you may have won the inheritance, but you're still being evaluated by those who matter.
"I wouldn't expect anything less," I replied evenly. "Results have always mattered more than titles here."
He nodded approvingly. "Exactly the right attitude. I look forward to seeing what you accomplish."
That evening,we gathered around our dinner table—Sadie, Eloise, Janet, and me. After months of tension and uncertainty, the scene felt almost surreal in its normalcy. Sadie had made Eloise's favorite spaghetti with homemade garlic bread, and even Janet seemed more engaged than she had in weeks.
"This is amazing, Mom," Eloise said, expertly twirling pasta around her fork. "Way better than that fancy Italian place we went to for Dad's last birthday."
"I'm glad my cooking meets with your approval," Sadie replied with a smile.
"Dad," Eloise said, switching topics with nine-year-old directness, "is the baby going to be my real brother?"
Sadie and I exchanged glances across the table, both recognizing the emotional minefield we'd just entered.
"What do you mean by real, sweetheart?" Sadie asked gently, setting down her fork to give Eloise her complete attention.
"Well…" Eloise hesitated, clearly working through complex thoughts. "You're not my real mom, right? Because my real mom left when I was a baby and never came back. So will the baby be my real brother or sister, or will it be different because we have different moms?"
My chest tightened painfully. This was the conversation I'd been both dreading and hoping for since Sadie had become such an integral part of our lives.
Sadie reached across the table and covered Eloise's small hand with both of hers. "Eloise, being a real family isn't about sharing the same biological parents. It's about love and commitment and choosing to be there for each other every single day."
"But people always talk about step-families and half-siblings and?—"
"The baby will absolutely be your real sibling," Sadie said firmly. "One hundred percent real. And you're already my real daughter, even though I didn't give birth to you. Love creates real families, not biology."
Eloise's smile was radiant, transforming her entire face with pure joy. "I want to be the absolute best big sister to the baby. I want to teach them everything."
"You're going to be an incredible big sister," I said, my voice tight with unexpected emotion. "That baby is going to be so lucky to have you."
Janet spoke up from her end of the table, her voice soft but clear. "This baby's going to be lucky to have all of you. Just like me."
My phone buzzed against the wooden table, and Caroline's name appeared on the screen. My stomach automatically tensed—after months of legal warfare, calls from my sisters still triggered a fight-or-flight response.
"I should take this," I said, stepping into the kitchen and sliding the door closed behind me. "Caroline?"
"Harrison." Her voice was small and shaky, completely different from the confident woman who'd sat across from me in depositions. "I needed to call you."
I braced myself against the kitchen counter, preparing for whatever new drama was about to unfold. There had been no peace between us, so I didn't expect this to be a pleasant conversation.
"I'm listening."
"I'm so sorry." The words came out in a rush. "Harrison, what Margot and I did was unforgivable. The way we treated Sadie during her deposition, the things we said about your marriage, the way we questioned her character and motivations… We were completely, horribly wrong."
I didn't know how to respond to an apology I'd never expected to receive.
"We told ourselves we were protecting our family legacy, but we were just being cruel to a pregnant woman who obviously loves you." She was crying now, her words thick with tears. "I saw the way you looked at her when she got sick, Harrison. The way you took care of her without hesitation. I haven't seen you look at anyone that way since… well, ever."
"Caroline—"
"Please let me finish. I understand if you never forgive me. Margot is going to need more time—you know how stubborn she is when she thinks she's been wronged. But I couldn't let another day pass without telling you how sorry I am."
