Chapter 160: Can You Be My Daddy?
Elias cheered and hugged the bear's leg. "Yay! Uncle Ryan is the best! You’re the strongest superhero in the world!"
At noon, the three of them sat in the theme park’s restaurant. Elias had played so hard his face was flushed. He chewed on fries, his little feet swinging under the chair.
Ryan was cutting Evelyn’s steak with elegant movements. He swapped her empty plate for the one with perfectly cut pieces.
"Mommy." Elias suddenly stopped chewing. His small hand, sticky with ketchup, grabbed Ryan’s hand.
"Yes?" Evelyn looked up.
"Can Uncle Ryan be my daddy?"
Elias’s voice was loud and clear, making people at nearby tables turn to look. "The kids at school all have daddies to play with, but I don't. Mommy works so hard all by herself, and sometimes she cries at night."
The little boy blinked his big eyes, looking at Ryan with hope. "Uncle, you’re so cool. Can you be my daddy?"
"Elias!" Evelyn’s face turned bright red. "Don't talk nonsense! Eat your food!"
Her heart hammered against her ribs. She didn't dare look at Ryan. Even though they had a history and he had been perfect lately, the word "father" was too heavy. It meant responsibility. It meant accepting her broken past and another man’s child.
"Why not?" Ryan put down his fork.
He didn't pull his hand away. Instead, he gripped Elias’s messy hand and looked across the table, locking onto Evelyn’s darting eyes. His deep gaze held no hint of a joke—only a heart-stopping sincerity.
"If your mommy agrees, I would love to."
Ryan’s voice was deep and magnetic. "Elias, I’m working on my application. I’m still on probation. You’ll have to put in a good word for me, okay?"
"No problem!" Elias immediately switched sides, winking at Ryan. "Mommy always listens to me!"
Evelyn’s fingers tightened around her fork. Watching them interact so naturally, her nose stung. This was the scene she had dreamed of. No fighting, no cold shoulder, no schemes—just simple, pure warmth.
The afternoon went by in a blur. Ryan pulled Evelyn into a VR shooting game. Inside the dark booth, they fought side-by-side.
"Left! Two o'clock!" Ryan growled. He leaned left, his shoulder bumping into hers.
"Got it!" Evelyn didn't back down. Her simulated gun fired with precision, taking out the monsters.
Their coordination was perfect. That long-lost feeling of being in sync made Evelyn’s blood boil with excitement. She even forgot about the past and Damian’s harassment. She only remembered the man beside her—a comrade she could trust with her life.
When the screen flashed "GAME OVER" with a new record, they put down their guns, breathless. They looked at each other and laughed.
Ryan saw the beads of sweat on her forehead and her eyes sparkling with excitement. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her until he lost control. But he held back. He didn't want to scare away the kitten who had finally lowered her guard.
As evening fell, the neon lights of the park came on. The Ferris wheel turned slowly against the night sky.
"I want to go on that!" Elias pointed. But while they were in line, the boy yawned in Ryan’s arms, his head nodding. By the time they sat in the enclosed cabin, he was fast asleep.
Evelyn carefully held the child, letting him rest his head on her lap. The cabin rose slowly. The noise of the park faded, replaced by the low hum of the machinery. The New York night opened up beneath them, the Manhattan skyline looking like a river of gold.
In the small space, the air felt thick. Ryan sat opposite her, his gaze lingering on her face. When the wheel reached the highest point, it felt like they were the only two people in the world.
"Evelyn." Ryan leaned forward, breaking the silence. He reached over the sleeping child and covered Evelyn’s hand with his own. His palm was burning hot.
"Four years ago... it was my fault," Ryan said. "I shouldn't have made that decision while I was angry. I should have found you the moment you were helpless. I’ve regretted it every single day."
Evelyn stiffened. She tried to pull her hand away, but he held it tighter.
"Don't hide," Ryan pleaded. "Let me finish. I know you’ve been hurt. I know you don't trust men or promises anymore. That’s okay. I have all the time in the world."
He looked into her eyes, speaking slowly as if baring his soul. "I'm not asking you to accept me right now. I'm not even asking you to love me yet. I’m just asking you not to push me away."
"Give me a chance to stand by your side. Let me protect you from the storms. Let me help you guard Elias and our home."
Home. It was the thing she had wanted most and feared to dream of most.
Evelyn saw her own reflection in Ryan’s eyes. She thought of him rushing to the hospital with a feverish Elias, of him standing between them and Damian, and of him saying "I would love to" in the restaurant. These past four years, she had forced herself to become a fortress of copper and steel. But now that real warmth was close, she realized how cold she had truly been.
Her lips moved, the word "okay" on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't make a sound. The shadows of the past were too heavy. The scars Damian left still throbbed. She was afraid this was just another trap.
The Ferris wheel began its descent. Evelyn looked down at her son, who was still clutching the hem of Ryan’s shirt in his sleep.
In the end, she said nothing.