"He didn't love you at first because you were just a reminder of what your mother and I had done, but over time, he couldn't help it. You were an adorable child, I couldn't help it either." Mr. Sokolov chuckled softly to himself. "Most times, I just wanted to hold you and be a father, but I wasn't allowed to. I could only show you love from a distance and I could only be a father to you from a distance."
"The little unnecessary thing I did was try to be there as a father. I loved when you smiled and talked to me. Although you didn't know the truth, I didn't mind. But then, it still hurt a lot to hear you call Leonid your father, and your mother could see it. It was the reason she would often have mood swings, and you'd be left wondering why."
"Keeping secrets was frustrating after all," he laughed softly, finally forcing himself to lift his head and look at her.