"Collin, what is wrong with you? She is our daughter." Roseline's voice broke as panic set in, her eyes fixed on Anna in his arms.
"I know," he replied with a slow smirk. "And right now, she is the only thing that can help me."
The animosity in his eyes made her stomach drop.
They had met during their college days. Back then, Collin had been charming, confident, full of dreams. Roseline had fallen for his sweet words and bold promises. He had made her believe in a future painted with ambition and success.
But Collin had not fallen in love the same way.
He had fallen for her beauty. For her intelligence. For her potential.
He saw in her a life he could never build on his own.
So he stayed close. He fed her promises about marriage and success while quietly spending her money on luxuries he could not afford. For a while, Roseline did not question it. She believed in him. She believed love required sacrifice.
Everything was manageable until the night he lost big.
