Mars strode into the sleek office building, her brow furrowed with confusion. She'd been summoned by her manager, Janis, for what was described as an "urgent meeting." It was rare for Janis to sound so cryptic, and Mars had half-expected it to be about an unexpected press leak or some contractual drama. But what she saw the moment she walked into the room was not at all what she had imagined.

Sitting quietly at the end of the table was a small child—three or maybe four years old, tops. The kid had short, tight curls that looked suspiciously similar to her own, and the moment he glanced up at her, Mars felt a strange jolt run through her. His eyes, green-grey with odd flecks of brown, stopped her in her tracks. There was a flicker of familiarity there that made Mars's stomach turn.

Janis stood abruptly, her expression tense. "Mars, hi," she said, rushing over to her side and pulling her towards the corner of the room, away from the boy.

Mars raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Uh... what's going on? Whose kid is this?" She glanced over at the little boy, who was sitting quietly with a small backpack clutched in his lap.

Janis ran a hand through her hair, visibly nervous. "This... this is Zaine," she began slowly. "He was dropped off here this morning by his grandparents and... a couple of lawyers."

Mars blinked, her confusion deepening. "Lawyers? What do lawyers have to do with this?"

Janis sighed, clearly wishing she was anywhere but in that room. "His mother passed away a couple of weeks ago. And according to his grandparents, you're listed as the... father. They've been trying to contact you for the past week."

Mars let out a disbelieving laugh. "Father? What are you talking about? Is this some kind of joke?"

"I wish it was," Janis muttered. She reached into a folder on the table, pulling out a sheet of paper. "I'm really sorry, Mars. I ran a DNA test just to be sure—didn't want to say anything without confirmation. And... it's a match. He's your son."

Mars stood frozen, the words hitting her like a truck. "What?" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. She turned back to look at the little boy, who was swinging his legs gently under the chair, clearly unaware of the life-altering conversation happening a few feet away. The kid didn't seem nervous or scared—just... curious. His greenish-grey eyes met hers again, and that strange feeling tightened in Mars's chest.

Janis kept her voice low and calm, though it was clear she was trying to steer this in a certain direction. "His grandparents, Maria and Gerard Santos, said you have options. They're willing to take full custody. You can sign over your parental rights, and no one has to know. No one in the public needs to find out you have a child. It'll be as if nothing ever happened."

Mars's head was spinning. She leaned on the back of a chair for support, trying to piece together the whirlwind of information. "Santos," she muttered, the name sparking a memory deep in the recesses of her mind.

She remembered it now. A girl she'd hooked up with a few years ago—back in college, during one of those wild nights where nothing seemed to matter. It had been a one-time thing, one of those fleeting moments that felt weightless at the time. Mars never saw her again. But now, years later, she was staring at the result of that night—a little boy with her hair, her eyes, and apparently, her DNA.

Mars pressed her fingers against her temples, feeling the weight of it all settle over her.

"This... is insane," she muttered. "I didn't even know—"

Janis gave her a sympathetic look, but her expression was tinged with urgency. "Look, I know this is a lot to process, Mars. And I get that it's complicated. But you do have the option to walk away from this and if you sign those papers—"

Mars didn't let her finish. She snatched the document from the table, scanned the page briefly, and without a second thought, tore it clean in half. The ripping sound was sharp and final, cutting through the silence in the room.

"They can fuck off," Mars said firmly, her voice low and cold. "There's no way I'm abandoning my kid. I missed the first few years of his life, and I'll be damned if I miss any more."

Janis opened her mouth, possibly to object or at least to suggest Mars reconsider, but the determination in Mars's eyes made her stop. Mars wasn't going to change her mind.

She took a deep breath and turned toward Zaine. The boy was still sitting quietly, playing with the zipper on his backpack. Mars could feel her heart racing in her chest, unsure of how to approach him, what to say, or even how to act. She was Mars Tosin—she knew how to handle interviews, cameras, and crowds. But standing in front of her kid for the first time? That was an entirely different beast.

She crouched down beside the little boy, her heart in her throat. "Hey, buddy," she said softly, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'm... Mars."

Zaine looked up at her, his little head tilting slightly to the side, those familiar green-grey eyes studying her face with quiet curiosity.

Mars felt a lump forming in her throat. "Do you... know who I am?"

Zaine gave a small shrug, his expression thoughtful. "Grandma said you're my other parent."

Mars's heart shattered and reassembled all at once. She took a shaky breath and smiled as best as she could. "Yeah... yeah, I am."

Zaine reached into his backpack and pulled out a small toy—a well-worn dinosaur missing one of its arms. He held it out to her, his little fingers gripping it tightly. "This is Rexy," he said matter-of-factly. "He's my favorite."

Mars smiled. "He's cool."

For a moment, the two of them sat in silence—just Mars, a little boy, and a plastic dinosaur. It was surreal and overwhelming, but in some strange way, it felt right.

She gently touched Zaine's curls, her fingers brushing lightly over the soft hair. "You've got cool hair," she said, her voice soft.

Zaine grinned proudly. "Thank you."

Mars felt her throat tighten again. She hadn't expected to feel this much this quickly, but here she was—completely undone by a tiny boy with a dinosaur and curly hair.

Janis cleared her throat from behind them, reminding Mars that there were still practical matters to address. "Mars," she said quietly, "we'll need to figure out the logistics. There's a lot to sort through—legal stuff, living arrangements—"

Mars nodded without turning around. "I'll handle it," she said firmly. "I'll figure it out."

Her thoughts drifted to Billie—who had just kicked off her tour and had no idea that Mars' life was turning upside down. How the hell was she going to explain this to her?

She exhaled slowly, running a hand down her face. One thing at a time, she told herself. First, she had to get Zaine settled. The rest... she'd figure out later.

Mars stood up and extended her hand to Zaine. "Come on, buddy. Let's get out of here."

Zaine grabbed her hand without hesitation, his tiny fingers wrapping around hers. It was such a simple gesture, but it made Mars's heart swell.

As they walked toward the door, Janis called after her. "Mars—what are you going to do?"

Mars glanced back over her shoulder, her expression steady.

"I'm going to be his parent," she said simply. "Whatever that means... I'm all in."

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