On the other end of the line, the man chuckled in response.

“Why now?

He called me a scoundrel just a moment ago!"

But Melon didn't explain himself and piped up, “If you're really my father, why did you call me Max instead of Melon? Mommy said that you chose my nickname yourself. Did you forget already?"

The silence on the other end returned once again. With a gentle tug, Melon held onto Ariana's hand, doubt etched on his face.

“Mommy, what's the matter? Is the connection breaking again?"

Ariana felt embarrassed, realizing she had forgotten to mention his nickname yesterday. The man on the other side must be unaware that he had a special moniker.

“There seems to be a hiccup in the connection at the border," Ariana explained with a sheepish smile. Embracing Melon in her arms, she continued softly, "Your father hasn't actually forgotten the nickname Melon. It's just been a while, and he could be aiming for a more formal tone in addressing you."

In an attempt to bridge the awkwardness, Ariana said "hello" to the phone once more.

After a moment, it appeared that the other end had finally caught the signal. The man's voice returned, echoing Ariana's story.

"Apologies, the reception was patchy earlier. Is Melon still on the line?"

"I'm here!" Melon's eyes brightened, a mix of happiness and skepticism in his voice. His delight was palpable, but he still held back from using the word "daddy."

This sudden appearance of a father figure had thrown him off balance, and the title felt somewhat foreign.

Taking the phone confidently, Melon ventured, “Dad, can you tell me when I was born?"

Sensing the challenge, the man chuckled and answered Melon's query.

After that, Melon kept asking again and over, “What's my favorite color? What's my favorite food?"

This back-and-forth continued, Melon firing off questions like rapid shots. Luckily, Ariana had shared most of Melon's details with Holden the previous night, equipping him to tackle the onslaught of Melon's queries.

Listening to their interaction, Ariana finally could breathe.

After the string of inquiries, Melon couldn't contain his excitement, his voice changing as he affectionately called out, “Daddy!”

In an office across town, as Shawn entered with documents in hand, he was taken aback by the unexpected sight of his boss sporting a gentle smile.