Amara didn't know when it started.
Maybe it was the way her tiny fingers fit perfectly into his large, warm hands.
Or the way his deep voice softened every time he called her name.
"Princess…"
That was what he always called her.
Not Amara. Not baby. Not even sweetheart.
Princess.
And in her little world, he was the king.
"Daddy, wait for me!"
Her small legs struggled to keep up as she ran across the compound, her slippers slapping against the ground. The evening sun painted everything gold, and in the middle of it stood her father tall, calm, smiling like he had all the time in the world just for her.
He turned, pretending to be surprised.
"Ah-ah! Who is this small girl chasing me like a police officer?"
Amara giggled, breathless, finally reaching him. "I'm not small! I'm big!"
"Oh, you're big now?" he teased, lifting her up effortlessly. "Then why can't big girls catch their fathers?"
She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder. He smelled like aftershave and safety.
"Because you're too fast," she mumbled.
"No," he said softly, adjusting her on his arm. "It's because I like you chasing me."
Inside the house, her mother moved quietly in the kitchen.
The sound of pots and spoons clinking filled the air, but her presence felt… distant. Like a shadow that stayed in the corner, watching but never stepping into the light.
"Welcome, sir," her mother said when they entered, her voice calm, controlled.
Her father smiled. "Madam, how was your day?"
"Fine."
Just one word.
Amara didn't understand it then, but something about that word always felt… heavy.
Later that night, Amara lay on the couch, her head resting on her father's lap as he gently stroked her hair.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, my princess?"
"Will you always love me?"
He didn't hesitate.
"Always."
"How much?" she asked, lifting her head to look at him.
He smiled, tapping her nose lightly. "More than anything in this world."
"Even more than mummy?"
There was a pause.
Just for a second.
But even at her young age, Amara felt it.
Her father chuckled softly, but it didn't sound as smooth as before. "Don't ask tricky questions, hmm?"
She pouted. "But I want to know."
He leaned closer, lowering his voice like he was telling her a secret.
"You are my heart."
And just like that, she smiled again.
Satisfied.
Certain
That night, Amara slept peacefully, wrapped in the warmth of her father's promises.
She didn't see the way her mother stood at the doorway, watching them in silence.
She didn't hear the quiet sigh that escaped her lips.
She didn't understand the distance that lingered between the two people she loved the most.
To her, everything was perfect.
Her father loved her.
And that was enough.
But love, as Amara would one day learn…
Was not always as simple as it felt.
And sometimes,
The person who makes you feel the safest…
Is the same person who will one day teach you how to break.