Victor softened his tone and spoke about regret, saying he was still their father. Emily looked at him without anger, only clarity that felt final.
“You are our biological father,” she said. “But a real father stays, supports, and shows up, and you did none of that.”
She paused briefly before finishing.
“Grandma did.”
Victor’s eyes filled with tears as he whispered, “I regret it.”
“I know,” Emily replied. “But regret has no legal value, and it does not repay eighteen years.”
He closed the folder and walked to the door, and Emily opened it without hesitation.
“You can consult another lawyer,” she added. “You will hear the same answer.”
He paused before leaving and asked quietly, “How are you both?”
Emily could have answered harshly, but she did not because Ruth had raised them differently.
“We’re fine,” she said calmly. “Grandma made sure of that.”
Jason looked at him with complete indifference, not anger or affection, but the absence of both. Victor left without another word.
He never filed a lawsuit, and his lawyer later confirmed there was no legal basis for any claim. The house remained with Emily and Jason, exactly as Ruth intended.