Ross inspired that kind of loyalty. That kind of devotion.
And what scared Steven the most was that he didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Silence stretched between them all, heavy with unspoken emotions.
Finally, he spoke again, his voice softer this time.
"I just…" He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I just never thought this would happen. Never in my wildest dreams."
Amy placed a hand on his arm. "Dad, we love Ross. We really do."
Sandra nodded.
"And he loves us. He takes care of us, protects us. He's the kind of man who never abandons the people he cares about."
Diane, the youngest of them all, took a step forward. Her voice was gentle but filled with conviction.
"Dad, I know this is hard for you to accept. But this is what I want."
Steven looked at her—his youngest daughter, the one he had always seen as his little girl. And now, she was standing before him, no longer a child, but a woman making a choice for herself.
