Chapter 9: Shifting Dynamics

It turned out, giving really does bring returns.

From that night on, Madison’s attitude changed. She was warmer, more affectionate—texting me first, calling to hear my voice. I started to feel like I mattered to her.

She even deleted the blind date guy’s Instagram in front of me, blocked his number, and waved her phone with a sly smile.

She started calling me Mike, sometimes even Daddy, in private. The first time she whispered it, I felt a rush of pride and shame.

Most important, she stopped leaving immediately after. She’d curl up beside me, tracing lazy circles on my chest, whispering sweet things. It was what I’d wanted all along.

But with the good came the bad.

Her affection brought new demands—more time, more attention, more of everything I couldn’t give.

She wanted me to spend the night. Her voice would tremble, her eyes pleading. It was getting harder to say no.

Honestly, that was the hardest part. The guilt, the lies, the fear of getting caught—it was exhausting.

Fortunately, Emily was easygoing. She trusted me, believed my excuses. Sometimes I wondered if she even cared anymore.

If I said I had work, she’d nod, half-asleep, and let me go. It almost made me feel sorry for her.

So time passed. The trees outside our window went from bare to green and back again. I barely noticed.