Chapter 15: A Passing Glance

Leonard Castillo hadn't meant to end up here.

He told himself that every step he took through Santa Inez was just about getting some fresh air. A break from the monotony of his hotel room. Maybe a decent cup of coffee.

That's all.

The afternoon sun poured like warm honey across the streets, turning every storefront golden. Wind chimes jingled above café doors, laughter from a nearby park drifted on the breeze, and the whole town seemed to hum with a kind of peaceful rhythm that didn't belong in Leonard Castillo's world of boardrooms and business jets.

He didn't know why he turned down that narrow side street.

He wasn't looking for anyone.

But that's where he saw it.

A boutique, tucked quietly between an old bookstore and a flower shop. A hand-painted wooden sign swayed gently above the door: Hearts & Threads.

And standing on the sidewalk outside, gripping a green dinosaur in one hand and a little backpack in the other, was a small boy.

Leonard stopped walking.

The child looked familiar. Sandy brown hair, soft gray eyes, a serious little face turned to the street like he was waiting for someone. The kind of waiting that came with trust. Routine. Safety.

Leonard's breath caught.

It was him.

Liam.

The boy from the mall. The one with the balloon and the quiet curiosity.

Leonard crossed the street before doubt could catch up.

"Hey there," he said gently, crouching beside the boy.

Liam turned and looked up. "Hi."

Leonard smiled. "You remember me?"

The boy furrowed his brow. "You gave me a balloon. At the mall."

"I did," Leonard said, warmth creeping into his voice.

Liam held up his toy. "This is Rex."

"Rex, huh? That's a good name."

"He sleeps with me sometimes," Liam said seriously. "I think he gets scared when it's really dark. But I tell him it's okay."

Leonard's chest tightened. "That's very kind of you. He's lucky to have you."

Liam shrugged like it was nothing. "He likes muffins too."

Leonard chuckled. "Smart dinosaur."

"Are you waiting for your mom?"

The boy nodded. "She's inside. She said she'd be right back."

Leonard glanced at the boutique window—and froze.

Inside, folding fabric with quiet care, was Arielle.

His heart stalled.

She hadn't changed much. Her hair was tied back loosely, soft waves falling over her shoulders. Her movements were precise, focused—until she looked up.

And saw him.

She stilled instantly.

The door opened seconds later. Arielle stepped out, closing it behind her.

Her eyes didn't leave his face.

"Leonard," she said coolly.

He stood. "Arielle."

She moved to stand between him and Liam with casual precision, her hand resting protectively on her son's shoulder.

"I didn't know you worked here," he said.

"Now you do."

Her tone wasn't rude—but it wasn't warm either.

"I wasn't looking for you," Leonard added. "I was just walking and... this place appeared."

"Right."

He glanced at Liam. "He seems like a good kid."

"He is."

Leonard looked back at her. "I'm glad."

Silence stretched between them like a drawn wire.

Arielle knelt beside Liam and brushed his hair back. "Let's go inside, baby."

Liam looked up at Leonard. "Bye."

Leonard crouched again. "Take care of Rex, okay?"

"I will."

Arielle opened the shop door and led her son inside—without looking back.

Leonard stood on the sidewalk, his hands in his coat pockets, staring at the closed door.

No second glance.

No parting words.

He turned and walked slowly back down the street.

---

In his car, Leonard sat in silence.

Liam's eyes. That dinosaur. His calmness.

He remembered the moment in the mall when Arielle had once said, "You can't walk away."

At the time, he hadn't understood. Or maybe he didn't want to.

But now?

He was starting to get it.

He had walked away—from her, from responsibility, from something that could've changed him.

And that little boy... might be the price of his mistake.

Later that night, Leonard stared at the ceiling of his hotel room, unable to sleep. The boy's voice echoed in his mind. Arielle's silence haunted him.

He picked up his phone.

"Carter," he said when the line connected. "I need you to run something for me."

He gave the shop name. Arielle's details. Liam's name.

"I need proof. Quietly. I'm not making any moves. I just need to know."

He hung up and dropped the phone beside him.

Then leaned back, arms folded behind his head.

If Liam really was his son...

He didn't know what he would do.

But he knew one thing for sure:

He wasn't going to walk away again.

---

Inside the shop, Arielle stood still behind the counter.

The boutique was quiet. Liam sat on a stool in the back, coloring and humming softly.

Arielle tried to breathe.

She hadn't seen Leonard in four years. Hadn't even said his name out loud in that long.

And now—suddenly—he was here.

Standing in front of her child like the past had just walked in off the street.

She wasn't ready. She wasn't prepared.

She had built this life slowly. Carefully. Alone.

She wouldn't let him destroy it.

Her hands trembled slightly as she wiped down the counter.

"Hey," she said softly, turning to Liam. "What did that man say to you?"

Liam looked up. "He said Rex was a good name. And that I'm kind for helping him when he's scared."

Arielle nodded. "That's it?"

"He said I should take care of Rex."

"You already do, don't you?"

"Yeah." He grinned. "Rex likes muffins."

Arielle smiled briefly, but her throat felt tight.

She turned away and wiped her hands on a towel. Her heart hadn't stopped racing.

He knew.

She saw it in his eyes.

But he hadn't asked.

And she wasn't going to offer it.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

Because the truth didn't just threaten her.

It threatened everything she loved.

And she would protect Liam with everything she had—

Even from the man she once loved.

---

End of Chapter 15