"What did she just call me?"
Ricky's voice was quiet, almost disbelieving—more a question to the universe than to anyone present. There was no one around who could read his thoughts, and yet…
As if sensing his confusion, the girl's expression changed. Her wide, innocent eyes sparkled with emotion, and she tilted her head, her voice trembling with a childlike purity that sent a chill through the air.
"Father, you're finally here!"
She blinked rapidly, her cheeks puffing out in an adorably angry pout.
"Uwu, I thought I'd never get to see you again! These people were going to kill me! Where were you? Why didn't you protect me?"
Ricky's jaw slackened.
What?
Each word hit him like a spiritual hammer to the chest. Her tone wasn't aggressive—it was vulnerable, soft, and accusing in the way only a child speaking to a negligent parent could manage. The sheer emotional weight behind her words made even him falter.
A trace of guilt flickered in his heart.
Am I really… irresponsible?
