Chapter 12 - THE MOTHER WHO CHOSE HERSELF
Claire left the hospital six weeks after Elena's birth.
Her daughter remained under specialized care for several more weeks.
Claire moved into a small apartment near the hospital.
Rebecca helped her arrange the separation.
Vincent respected the boundaries she set.
He visited Elena according to the hospital's rules and their agreed arrangements.
He didn't enter Claire's apartment without permission.
Didn't send extravagant gifts.
Didn't demand gratitude.
One afternoon, Claire found him sitting beside Elena's incubator.
He was reading a children's book.
His voice was quiet.
His hands were gentle.
Claire stood in the doorway.
For a moment, she remembered the man she'd once loved.
Then she remembered the man she'd feared.
Both memories were real.
And she knew that one gentle afternoon couldn't erase five years.
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Still, she watched.
Because Elena deserved a father who was willing to learn.
