Chapter 162: Shadows of the Past

Justin’s POV

I woke up slowly. For a few seconds, I didn’t even know where I was.

Then I felt the soft warmth beside me.

I turned my head on the pillow. Harper was fast asleep on her side of the bed, somehow having migrated completely away from me during the night. Her hair was a total mess, half covering her face, and the duvet was pulled up tight to her shoulders.

I smiled. Last night came rushing back to me every single detail. I couldn’t stop the grin that spread across my face.

I leaned over and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the top of her head. She didn’t move, just let out a quiet sigh.

"Sleep, baby," I whispered.

I carefully climbed out of bed, making sure not to wake her.

The bedroom looked like we had barely survived the night. Clothes were scattered all over the floor, pillows were tossed out of place, and the duvet had practically given up on being a duvet.

I chuckled under my breath. I had a lot to clean up.

I gathered the clothes from the carpet, separated what needed to be washed, and carried everything down the hallway toward the laundry room.

By the time I was done setting the load, my mind had already started drifting back to everything waiting for me in the real world.

My stepmother’s trial was only a week away. There were things I needed to know before then heavy, unresolved questions I needed answered.

And then there was hockey. Development camp had gone well, but I couldn’t afford to get comfortable now. Being drafted first overall didn’t guarantee me anything in the league. There was still so much work to do, decisions to make, agent meetings to attend, and an entire professional career to prepare for.

I walked into the kitchen and started making tea. Two cups one for me, one for Harper when she finally woke up properly.

As I waited for the kettle to boil, my eyes landed on my phone resting on the counter.

And suddenly, everything else in my mind completely disappeared.

My father’s number was still saved in my contacts. I hadn’t called him. Not once. I had thought about it more times than I could count over the past few weeks, but every time my thumb got close to his name, I would stop myself.

What was I even supposed to say to him? Hey, Dad. Your wife is going to court for what happened to my mother.

I picked up the phone, feeling the weight of it in my hand.

Maybe I should call my grandparents instead. My mother’s parents might know something more. Maybe they had heard an update from the private investigators my grandfather had hired.

Or maybe... maybe I just needed to call my father.

I stared at his contact name. My thumb hovered directly over the screen. I could do it. Just one call. One simple conversation.

I took a deep breath, then another. My thumb moved toward the display.

"Hey, babe."

I jumped, my heart leaping into my throat. The phone slipped straight out of my hand, clattering onto the counter.

I turned around quickly.

Harper was standing at the entrance to the kitchen. Her hair was sticking out in every single direction, and the duvet was draped loosely over one shoulder like she had simply wrapped herself in it from the bed and decided that was good enough for a morning outfit.

She looked half asleep and completely adorable.

I laughed, rubbing my chest. "You scared me."

She blinked her tired eyes. "I didn’t mean to."

She shuffled slowly toward me across the cold floor, then paused and looked around the space. "You cleaned up?"

"Yeah."

"You washed the plates too?"

"Yeah."

A sleepy, beautiful smile spread across her face. "Thank you."

I walked over, leaned down, and kissed her forehead softly. "You’re welcome."

She yawned, stretching under the heavy blanket. "I just wanted to make sure you were still here."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Where else would I go?"

"I don’t know," she murmured, rubbing her eyes. "I just woke up and wanted to check." She turned back toward the hallway. "I’m going back to sleep."

I laughed softly. "Already?"

"Yes."

She took a few sluggish steps back toward the bedroom. I watched her walk away with the duvet still trailing off her shoulder like a cape. She looked like a tiny, sleepy kitten.

I shook my head, my chest swelling with affection. "You’re cute."

She glanced back over her shoulder at me, her eyes half-shut. "Good."

Then she disappeared around the corner into the bedroom. A few seconds later, I heard the faint creak of the bed springs as she sank back into the mattress.

I smiled to myself, feeling the warmth in my chest.

Then I turned back to my phone resting on the counter.

The smile completely faded from my face. My father’s name was still glowing on the screen.

I picked it up. This time, I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t let myself overthink it.

I pressed call.

The line rang once. Twice.

Then he picked up. "Hey, Justin."

Hearing his voice after all this time did something sharp and uncomfortable to my chest. I swallowed hard, adjusting my grip on the phone.

"Can I ask you some questions about the upcoming trial?"

There was a heavy pause on the other end. Then he spoke carefully. "You’ve been keeping your distance."

"Yeah."

"I understand."

I tightened my hand around the phone until my knuckles turned pale. "She killed my mom."

Silence. Complete, suffocating silence. I could hear his slow breathing on the line.

Then finally, his voice came through again, sounding older and heavier. "Can we see each other?"

I stared out through the glass of the kitchen window. For some reason, that simple question irritated me far more than I expected. The man was reaching too far, asking for things he hadn’t earned.

But this wasn’t really about him. This concerned my mother. And whatever anger or resentment I was carrying toward my father, I wasn’t going to sit on the sidelines when it came to getting justice for her.

I needed answers.

"Okay," I said, my voice cold and steady.

"I’ll see you in the evening," he replied.

There was another short pause on the line.

"I’ll come with Harper," I added.

"No problem," he said, and his voice sounded almost relieved.

"Okay," I said, glancing down the quiet hallway toward the bedroom where Harper had already fallen back asleep. "I’ll see you in the evening."