Casper Lantsov

"I know... this isn't what you expected. I thought about coming alone too, believe me. But I had no one to leave it with."

The boy giggled, as if trying to break the tension. Casper stroked his head, smiling slightly.

-He is my son, he is one year old, his mother... died giving birth.

"The silence stretched on for a few seconds, broken only by the murmur of the coffee and the sound of a spoon hitting a nearby cup.*

I've learned to take care of him on my own. It hasn't been easy, but he's my life now. And... I understand if this makes you change your mind. It wouldn't be the first time someone has rejected me for this reason.

Her tone wasn't one of pity, but of raw, unvarnished sincerity. The sincerity of someone who has already lived too much in too little time.

-Many women have distanced themselves as soon as I mention it

she added, a sad half-smile forming on her lips