Chapter Twelve

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With leaving Selena behind, Justin feels regret. He wishes that he said goodbye, kissed her one last time and held her tight. He wishes, most of all, that he never promised that he won't disappear.

He has no control over it. The police can find him and chuck him back into prison. Someone can hurt him, by exposing where he is. He can't control what happens to him and if he gets caught; to make a promise to Selena is wrong. He simply can't keep his promise, giving her false hope that he'll forever be safe and in her arms.

He can't promise it'll be safe for her, either. She'll get hurt, one way or another. By him or another person. She's vulnerable to being hurt, because he keeps giving her empty promises.

Agreeing with Erick to stay hidden in the warehouse, he has time to reflect. To think about everything with what he actually wants and what's expected of him. He realises, however, that being the bad guy is no longer his desire.

Seeing his son, for the first time, shines light onto the good. He cannot be the person he is, if he wants to be in his son's life for however long. His son needs the perfect father. If Justin remains being this evil character, he won't be acceptable for his son — and all he ever wants is to be acceptable for his son.

He promises to himself — the first real promise — that he'll do right by his son, make sure his son has everything he wants, and be the perfect father he wished for when he was younger.

His own father gave him empty promises, false hope and fake ideas. There was one thing his father could never do either, which is remain in his life.

He just hopes he can remain in his son's life long enough to make an impact.

~~~

Twilight dawns into the day, welcoming the dark sky as it progresses into the evening. Selena notes this, and makes sure to arrive at the warehouse before it gets more darker, a sign that the night is coming.

She must tell Justin before Erick does, but with her son on her mind, she wonders if it'll be acceptable to tell him the news from Vanessa today, or let him remain in the dark about their son. Erick's first, she reminds herself. She must tell Justin before Erick does.

But her beautiful, wonderful son remains in her thoughts. Vanessa threatens to not let Selena take her son away, but she doesn't know if Vanessa is actually serious. Would Vanessa do that to her?

She lets her mind dance around her son, lets her worries scream at her and plan a way to take her son safely away from Vanessa, but one thing she cannot answer is how she would be able to do it without Justin.

He must know, as he is his son's father and needs to help Selena get their son back. But Erick also threatens to tell Justin of her secrets, and she knows she does not have the time to tell him the revelations of today and her regrets from the past year.

She must tell Justin before Erick does, but she needs help with her son. Without Justin's help, she doesn't know how to get her son back. Without telling Justin of her relationship with Nick, Erick will do so.

She has two important things to tell Justin, and she wonders which she should tell first. By the end of tonight, he'll know both. By the end of the night, he may hate her. By the end of the night, they may have their son back.

She wonders how this terrible evening will go.

~~~

Erick remains on the porch of his house throughout the day. Anna occasionally refills his coffee in his favourite green mug, but it turns to cold every time before he can finish it.

When the sun disappears and the moonlight creeps in, Erick stands up and starts to get ready to meet Justin in the warehouse. If Selena is there before him, he will remain in the background and allow her to tell Justin herself of her relationship with Nick. But if she is not there before him, he will immediately tell Justin himself. He will not wait.

He hopes she knows the importance of telling Justin herself.

As he leaves the house, Anna calls to him. "Selena's coming here. She's asked me to drive her to the warehouse; I said yes." He wonders why she's telling him this, as she doesn't know what's going on, but he nods. He knows the pain he's placed on Anna and is grateful she remains in his life with his short-temper.

But he knows he also can't continue. He must self-discipline himself, teach himself to be calm and not place it onto Anna. After today, he will practice this. First, he must handle Justin and his own short-temper.

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