BLAZE

06.

06.

Brock watched in a mix of bewilderment and wonder as his long-lost daughter Chanel carefully examined the various photos scattered around the room.

It was still sinking in that this young woman standing before him was his flesh and blood - a child he never knew existed until just recently.

Brock had always been the type who valued his independence and freedom, never seriously considering the prospect of fatherhood.

The very idea of being responsible for another human life had always seemed daunting and constraining to him.

But now, as he observed Chanel's curious gaze studying the memories of his past, something profound stirred within him.

Seeing the photos of his younger self, carefree and living life on his terms, Brock couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

There was a time not long ago when the thought of having a child would have filled him with dread.

But now, looking at this beautiful young woman who was undoubtedly his daughter, he was overcome with a sense of longing - a realization that he had missed out on something truly special by never wanting children.

The way Chanel's eyes lit up as she traced her fingers over the images, the way she hung on his every word as he shared the stories behind them...it stirred something deep within Brock that he never knew existed.

As Chanel picked up a photo of Brock astride his favorite motorcycle, a wistful smile crossed her face.

"So you ride?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of admiration.

Brock couldn't help but feel a swell of pride as he nodded and replied, "Yeah, I've been riding since I was fourteen."

Chanel's eyes widened slightly, clearly impressed by his lifelong passion for the open road. "That's cool," she said, her gaze shifting to another photo.

Brock watched intently as Chanel studied the image of him and her mother, both of them barely out of their teens, captured in a moment of youthful bliss.

"Is that my mom and you?" she asked, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and something else - perhaps a longing to connect with the parents she never knew.

"Yeah, we were seventeen in this photo," Brock replied, his heart aching at the realization of all the lost time, and all the milestones he had missed in Chanel's life.

As Chanel's fingers traced over another photo, this one depicting Brock's best friend, Mark cradling his newborn daughter Harley, a look of confusion crossed her face.

"Who is this?" she asked, her brow furrowed.

Brock felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach as he explained, "That's your uncle, Mark, with his daughter, Harley. You guys should be about the same age."

But Chanel's response caught Brock completely off guard. "Mark? Like Mark Calaway?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of disbelief.

Brock's heart raced as he replied, "Yes, why?"

The answer that followed sent a shockwave through him: "I thought he was my dad."

Brock's mind reeled as Chanel revealed the bombshell - that her mother had listed not one, but three potential fathers: Brock, his best friends Mark and Shane.

The revelation hit him like a ton of bricks, and Brock couldn't help the words that tumbled from his lips: "That whore."

Chanel's eyes widened at his harsh response, but Brock was too consumed by a surge of emotions to care.