But then her behavior started shifting.
She stopped lingering in the kitchen after school. Ava also stopped watching movies with us on Friday nights.
Whenever she heard his truck pull into the driveway, she suddenly remembered homework or found excuses to stay upstairs.
Teenagers rarely embrace change.
But deep down, I knew my daughter wasn’t just being moody; she was observing Ryan closely.
Like she was trying to figure something out.
One evening, Ryan brought over takeout from Ava’s favorite burger place.
Normally, she would’ve been thrilled. Instead, she grabbed her food and disappeared upstairs without even thanking him.
Ryan watched her leave before turning toward me.
“Did I do something wrong?”
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