Julie stood there watching as the little droplets rolled down her window.
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Only a sliver of her small garden was visible through the misty glass.
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Her warm hands caressed her arms. The inside of her two-story house felt like springtime. It had to be the first time she felt life within the four walls. The same walls that seemed to smother her now provided far too much space.
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"Sleep, little one"
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Julie averted her gaze from the window; the sight inside her living room was far more appealing. She watched as the father rocked their daughter back and forth, his eyes shining with love and compassion.The smile on his face mirrored Julie’s, but on a completing different spectrum of emotions. His was happy while hers was melancholic.
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"You should go back," she said quietly. His grin faded.
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He turned around, ignoring the young brunette.
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"Jeremy," Julie pleaded frantically.
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Jeremy leaned back, protectively gripping the fragments of his heart in his arms, his arms coated with a glossy layer of tears.
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"Leave," she stated emphatically.
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He made a weak motion with his head.
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"You promised me," she said sternly.
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"How could you be so heartless?" he demanded, pinning her eyes.
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"Yes, Heartless." He spit it out. "She is also my daughter, Julie." Please don't do this to me. Please don't do this to us." He clutched the small bundle to his chest. His brows scrunched, his eyes squinted at the corners.
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"There was never us."
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"That's because you never let us be."
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She looked away, “Your agency-”
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"They're gone," Jeremy stated. "They've left. We can be together.”
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"And what about your wife?" The woman fixed her gaze on him.
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"She never mattered"
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"But for her, you mean the world."
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Julie let out a troubled breath. "What about your kids!"
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He didn't say anything.
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"Can you live without them?"
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"Can you?" She repeated herself, smirking when he didn't respond. "They're your children. I know you adore them."
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"And about this one?" He held the infant in his arms. His eyes welled up with tears. "What about her?" In a weak voice, he inquired. "What about Scarlett?"
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Julie stormed over and yanked their daughter from his arms. Jeremy flinched, stunned, as she stormed upstairs.
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A piercing shriek shattered the sleepy stillness.
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Jeremy's heart leaped forward. He dashed upstairs to his daughter's room. Julie covered his view of the crib, so he only caught a glimpse of it. He fixed his gaze on her.
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"Why are you doing this to me?"
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She chose to ignore him.
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"Julie you knew I had no choice-"
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“Stop making excuses. "You sound pathetic." She held her hand to his face.
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"Pathetic," he muttered. "I haven't heard that in a long time."
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She bit her lower lip guiltyly, but it soon washed away, the resentment for him engulfed it. He was the one who had brought it on himself. He made both of them suffer. He could only blame himself.
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"You must leave for all of us to be happy." Scarlett and I shall thrive in the absence of you." She elaborated. "Go home to your family." Make them smile. Don't let them down as you did us."
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He shook his head.
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"As your agency stated, a hero like you could never match with a Muryokuna." She murmurs gently. "Fame is still a factor in one's status. I don't want my daughter to be referred to as an illegitimate child."
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Jeremy stood tall. "Are you sure you can do this without me?"
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"Yes"
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He laughed heartily. He gazed around the deteriorating house. "While you're barely able to keep a roof over your head, you're willing to nurture a child?" His attention is drawn back to her. "Fine." He stuffs his hands deep into his pockets. "Let's see how far you can go."
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Her eyelids fluttered and she inhaled shallowly.
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"You know the hardest part about starting anew?" He tilted his chin to the side. "Surviving it."
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She took a step back as soon as he took a step forward. "You'll never be able to get rid of the possibilities of us." Money will always shackle you, from the rest. You'll watch me from afar as I smile and laugh with my family. “ He gritted out each syllable as though it were a knife in the chest. "However, you know what?”
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“I'll get my kid back. The second I see you failing as a parent will be the day I will return to take her back. I will never let you see her. You will pay for separating us. I’ll make sure of it." He gave her a disapproving look before storming downstairs.
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Julie flinched as the front door slammed shut.
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When Jeremy stepped outdoors into the pouring rain, he was met with a terrible reality. He would never see his daughter again. For the first time, he wished to the heavens that his request would be granted. He hoped she would struggle so much that she would be forced to hand over their daughter to him.
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As a hero, he was a coward, but as a father, he was selfish. His little star would come back to him.
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The car ride home was quiet.
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Arms wrapped him as soon as he entered his home. His clothes clung to him, still damp.
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"Did she reject you again?"
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"Violet," he said, his voice stern. "Get out of my house."
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She innocently pursed her lips. "It's pouring outside. Are you sure you want me to leave now?"
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The tension in his chest increased. "You're so tight-skinned."
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She laughed. "It's because of this that your agency chose me to be your wife. You have a weak will, they said. They couldn't let the people of the city realize how sensitive their Number Hero is, could they?”
She shrugged,”I guess that means you have only your self to blame”
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