Chapter 1 - The Door He ChoseNathan Cole did not slam the door.
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He wanted to.
Every part of him wanted to turn around, face the room full of relatives who had gone silent only after his little girl started shaking, and tell them exactly what kind of people they were.
But Emma’s face was pressed into his shoulder.
Her teddy bear was trapped between their bodies, one button eye digging into his jacket. Her small hands clutched him so tightly he could feel her fingernails through his shirt.
So Nathan did the one thing no one in that room expected.
He left quietly.
Behind him, the decorated living room remained frozen. Pink balloons floated above the couch. A cake with white frosting and tiny roses sat untouched on the table. His ex-wife Rachel stood beside it in her maroon dress, still not looking at him.