Lando |65|

You were a single mother of a beautiful 4-year-old girl named Hope. She was the result of a traumatic relationship, but she became the light of your life, the reason you woke up every morning and found peace to sleep every night.

For a long time, you isolated yourself from relationships. You convinced yourself that only having Hope was enough, that you and she were all you needed. Furthermore, you harbored a deep fear: that she would become attached to someone new and that, upon breaking up, she would feel hurt. You vowed you would never do anything to hurt her.

Hope's father wasn't reliable and only saw her when he deemed it necessary. Some might call him selfish, but you didn't care; she was your daughter, your responsibility.

You walked through the crowd to the bar where your friends were waiting. As you entered, they burst into applause and cheers. You rarely went out, not because you didn't want to, but because your responsibilities at home were paramount and you hated leaving Hope with a babysitter.

"Is Hope okay?" one of your friends asked with a warm and sincere smile.

Your eyes met Lando's across the room. He was part of your closest circle of friends, and everyone insisted you should give him a chance. Lando had always been crazy about you, but your insecurities held you back. You feared the risk, not for yourself, but for Hope. However, the sweet smile on Lando's face made your heart flutter with a mixture of excitement and fear.

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