LAUREN'S POV

"Do you think I made a mistake not telling him that you're her father?" I asked quietly, my voice barely rising above a whisper. The room had grown strangely still after everything that had just happened - Ethan's anger, Roman's calm fury, the confrontation that still lingered in the air like smoke after a storm. The silence that followed my question felt heavy, like even the walls were holding their breath, waiting for Roman's answer.

Roman leaned back on the couch, one arm resting across the backrest, his gaze calm but thoughtful. "No," he said finally, his tone firm but not unkind. "There was no mistake made there....