Chapter 3: Unspoken Words
""You alright, kiddo?"" Marcus asked softly, his deep voice carrying a rough warmth. Liam nodded once, swallowing the lump in his throat. ""I didn't let him push me around,"" Liam whispered, looking up at his father. Marcus offered a small, rare smile—one filled with pride and painful memory. Years ago, Marcus had chosen a quiet life of hard labor to escape a past filled with conflict, precisely to protect Liam from the harsh realities of the world. But standing on the grass today, Marcus realized that hiding from the world didn't always shield the ones you love. Sometimes, you had to stand your ground and rebuild.
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