CHAPTER04 CONFRONTATION AND CUSTODY

Chapter 04: Confrontation and Custody

But when he opened the door that afternoon, his heart dropped at the sight before him.

Standing there, with his usual confident stance and piercing gaze, was Dane Striker.

The last person Jin ever expected—or wanted—to see again.

Dane’s gaze swept over Jin with a cold, assessing look before landing on the little boy at Jin’s side.

The child, with his dark hair and wide eyes, looked back at Dane with innocent curiosity, clutching Jin’s leg.

"Long time no see"

Dane said, his voice calm but with an unmistakable edge.

His eyes flickered between Jin and the boy.

"You’ve been busy."

Jin swallowed, his hands tightening on Jay’s shoulders protectively.

“What… What are you doing here?”

he managed, his voice shaky.

Dane’s expression hardened, though there was a flicker of something else in his gaze—something possessive.

“You think you could just take my son and disappear?” His voice was low, controlled, and unnervingly calm.

"I’m here to claim what’s mine.”

Panic surged in Jin’s chest.

“Your son?

He’s… He’s my son, Dane,”

Jin stammered, trying to keep his voice steady.

“Please, you can’t just come here and take him away.”

“Oh, I think I can.”

Dane motioned behind him, and a sharply dressed man—Dane’s lawyer—stepped forward, handing Jin a stack of papers.

“If you want to keep him, we’ll settle this legally.

I have the means to win, Jin.

But if you want to avoid a fight… we can talk about a compromise.”

Desperation clawed at Jin as he sank to his knees, clutching Jay to his chest.

“Please, Dane. Don’t take my child away.”

He barely noticed the tears welling in his eyes.

“He needs me.

You don’t even know him…”

Dane’s hard expression wavered just slightly.

He hadn’t expected to see Jin so vulnerable, so broken.

It triggered a pang of something he couldn’t quite name.

For a brief moment, he considered relenting—but he knew he needed leverage to keep Jin from running again.

“I’ll make you a deal,”

he said finally, his voice softening.

“We’ll drop the custody case on one condition:

let’s sign a contract.”

Jin looked up, his face filled with confusion and fear.

“A… contract?”

Dane nodded, holding Jin’s gaze.

“The contract will give me the right to visit Jay whenever I want.

I need to be a part of his life—and yours, as his father.”

With little choice, Jin agreed, his mind racing as he tried to process what Dane’s presence would mean for him and Jay.

He knew this wouldn’t be easy, but he would do anything to keep his son safe and close.

---

The Contract Begins

Days after the contract was signed, Dane’s visits became a regular part of Jin’s life.

Every day, Dane would come over, spending time with Jay, getting to know him.

He showed patience and tenderness with Jay, surprising Jin with a side of him he hadn’t seen before.

Gradually, Jin’s resistance to Dane’s presence began to weaken.

Dane’s commitment to Jay was undeniable, and despite his initial resentment, Jin found himself warming up to him. They began sharing quiet moments together as a family, Jay nestled between them, and those brief glimpses of warmth softened the tension between them.

Dane’s POV

In his own way, Dane had started to see Jin differently.

Initially, he’d come to claim his son, but as he spent more time with Jay and Jin, he felt something shift inside him.

The cold satisfaction he’d felt at tracking down his “runaway rabbit”

had transformed into something far deeper.

Each time he saw Jin smile, or watched Jay’s eyes light up when he played, a strange warmth filled him—a desire to keep them close, to make them his in every sense.

Slowly but surely, he realized he wanted more than just a contract.

He wanted a family.

One Evening at Jin’s Apartment

One evening, after Jay had fallen asleep, Dane lingered a bit longer than usual.

He and Jin sat together in the living room, the silence between them comfortable, almost peaceful.

“You know,” Dane began, his voice low and thoughtful, “I never thought I’d want something like this.

A family.”

Jin looked over at him, surprised by the vulnerability in Dane’s tone.

“Neither did I,” he admitted softly. “But Jay… He’s everything to me.”

Dane’s gaze softened, and he leaned forward slightly. “What if we made this official? For Jay.

And for us.”

Jin’s heart skipped a beat as he took in Dane’s expression.

There was no hint of the arrogance he’d seen before—only a quiet sincerity that left him breathless.

In that moment, Jin realized that maybe, just maybe, he wanted this too. A family. A future.

end

TO BE CONTINUE...

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