Shadows of Regret

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

Ryujin Matsumoto

Dinner that night felt different. The tension from earlier had eased somewhat, and I found myself sitting at the head of the table, surrounded by the people who had somehow become my family, even if we were a strange and tangled one.

The table was set with the kind of care that spoke of Imani’s touch—everything in its place, the food warm and fragrant, the light casting a soft glow over everyone’s faces.

Vincent, as usual, was the center of attention, his charm on full display. But tonight, his focus was solely on Amara.

The way he looked at her, the way she looked back—it was like watching two magnets draw closer, almost inevitable.

I noticed the small smiles they exchanged, the way his hand brushed hers under the table.

He kept finding ways to make her laugh, his eyes twinkling with mischief, and for once, it wasn’t the usual sly, calculating look he gave most people. This was something softer.

Imani caught my eye, and I saw her smile too—genuine, full of happiness for her friend.

It was a rare moment of peace, one that made me forget, even for just a second, the dark shadows that always seemed to hover around us.

When Vincent and I were at my office, he told me how Amara was the girl he met at the club.

I mean when he told me, I wasn't too shock because of the way he looked at her when we came in.

The conversation at the table flowed, it felt almost normal. Kai was in a good mood, laughing at Vincent’s jokes and chiming in whenever he could. Imani seemed more relaxed too, though she kept glancing at Kai like she was expecting something to go wrong.

Then, just as everything seemed to be settling into a rhythm, Kai turned to Imani with a question that froze the entire table.

“Mommy, when is my dad coming back?”

The words hung in the air like a bomb just waiting to go off. I felt my heart skip a beat, and Imani’s hand, which had been resting on the table, clenched into a fist. We had talked about this—about how Kai wasn’t ready to know the truth, about how she wasn’t ready for him to know.

And yet, here it was, out in the open, Kai looking at her with those innocent, hopeful eyes, completely unaware of the storm he had just unleashed.

Imani swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. “Why are you asking, Kai?”

Kai’s eyes lit up with excitement as he explained, “On Friday, my school is having a ‘Daddy and Me’ day, where dads come and spend time with their kids. I was wondering if you could talk to him, so he can come too.”

He said it with so much hope, so much trust, and I could see the way Imani’s expression cracked, just for a moment. She tried to smile, but I knew her well enough to see how close she was to breaking down.

The guilt hit me like a wave—guilt for leaving them, for not being there, for all the time we had lost. Kai’s innocence made it all the worse, and for the first time, I realized just how badly I wanted to make things right.

I had been given a second chance, a chance I didn’t deserve but one I wasn’t going to waste.

Even if I couldn’t tell Kai the truth yet, I could at least be there for him in a way I never was before.

Imani took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. “Your father… he’s still on the moon, Kai. He can’t come because he’s busy.”

Kai’s face fell, his shoulders slumping as the excitement drained out of him. “Okay, Mommy,” he said quietly, trying to hide his disappointment.

Before I could stop myself, I spoke up. “I can go with you, Kai.”

Everyone at the table turned to look at me, the surprise clear on their faces.

Imani’s gaze was the hardest to meet, her eyes full of anger and something else—fear, maybe? But Kai’s reaction made it worth it. His face lit up like a Christmas tree, his whole body vibrating with excitement.

“Really?” he asked, almost not daring to believe it.

“Yes, really,” I said, forcing a smile even as I felt Imani’s eyes boring into me.

Kai looked at his mother, his eyes pleading. “Mommy, can Ryujin come with me?”

Imani didn’t answer right away. She just looked at Kai, her expression torn between protecting him and making him happy. Finally, she nodded, her voice soft.

“Yes, Kai. Ryujin can go with you.”

Kai’s joy was immediate, his smile brighter than I had ever seen it. He started talking about all the things he wanted to show me at his school, his words tumbling over each other in his excitement.

But I could barely focus on him, not with the way Imani was avoiding my gaze, the way she looked like she was about to break.

A few seconds later, Imani stood up from the table, excusing herself. “I’ll be right back,” she said, her voice strained.

I watched her go, my chest tightening with every step she took away from me. I knew I had crossed a line, but I couldn’t regret it—not when I saw how happy it made Kai.

Still, the guilt gnawed at me, the realization that I had put Imani in an impossible position.

“Excuse me,” I said, following her out of the room, needing to fix this, even if I wasn’t sure how.