<Chapter Forty–Two
Chapter Forty–Two
Kyle’s POV
I slammed the door of my car shut harder than I intended to, the sound echoing louder than necessary in the morning air. The hangover still hadn’t worn off completely, even though the day was already bright, and the pounding in my skull was a cruel reminder of this morning’s mistake. Another one. One more to the long list of poor choices I kept making in a futile effort to numb the ache in my chest.
After that scene with Lillian the previous night after the park incident – her disgust, her accusation, her despicable words – I couldn’t bear to go home, to face her, for fear I might eventually lose my temper if she so much as said another cruel word about Ava. Instead, I checked into a hotel and spent the night drinking drowning in more alcohol than my liver could tolerate. That was the only way I could silence the voice in my head screaming Ava’s name and Lillian’s despicable words. It was the only way to escape the fierce look in Ava’s eyes and the image of the man beside her, cuddling her waist and cradling my son as if they were his. Despite everything, I wanted to see her, to apologize and show her my true intentions for a chance in my son’s life. I had even arranged for clothing to be delivered to the hotel. Knowing her routine from months of observation, it wasn’t hard to find her before she resumed work. That was how I was able to double–crops her that morning. However, instead of explaining things and apologising as planned, I lashed out like a jealous prick. I let my jealousy over Elson cloud my mind, leading me to say those cruel words to her, ruining everything once again.
I hated myself for it.
Pulling my hands through my hair, I walked into the penthouse with heavy steps and a weakened soul. I was prepared to be alone with my regrets, maybe sleep off the guilt without alcohol, and maybe I would be able to escape the look in her eyes when I said those horrible, foolish words to her, but instead, I walked straight into something unexpected.
“Make sure the blue suitcase goes in the trunk,” Lillian instructed sharply. “And be careful with them. They have Neo’s bottles.”
Wait, what?
I blinked at the sight in front of me. The hangover and the pounding in my head momentarily disappeared somewhere unknown as I stared at Lillian, who was in a pale blue blouse and jeans, her face layered with makeup and rage. Two maids were dragging suitcases toward the door. And in her arms was Neo, still in his pyjamas, sleepy and unaware of the drama around him.
“Hurry up!”
I blinked, confused. “What the hell is going on?”
She didn’t answer me. Didn’t even look at me. She just kept barking orders like I wasn’t even there. I stepped forward, anger and frustration boiling in me as I repeated myself, this time louder.
“I asked a question. What’s going on?”
Finally, she turned to me with a hot glare. “What does it look like?” she snapped. “I’m leaving. I am going back home with my son. So you can have time chasing after your ex since you clearly want nothing to do with us.”
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Chapter Forty–Two
I blinked repeatedly. “Oh?”
So that’s what this was. A show.
+8 Points >
“Don’t act surprised, Kyle.” She said, adjusting Neo’s position in her arms. “Isn’t that what you want? Why am I even asking? You’ve made it very clear where your heart still belongs. You never even tried to hide it.”
“You’re making no sense….” I started, but she cut me off.
“Don’t patronise me, Kyle,” she said, her voice loud and trembling with anger, her eyes blinking rapidly as if trying to force back tears. “Do you think I’m gullible or blind? You anonymously bought an entire company and had your ex–wife working under contract! You didn’t even tell me. You did it just to stay close to her.”
“That is…”
“Oh, please!” she cut me off, her voice loud enough to startle Neo, but he went back to sleep almost immediately. “You think I don’t know what this is? You’re so obsessed with your ex–wife that you didn’t even think for one second how this would affect your own family. Our son deserves a father who’s present, not one who spends his nights chasing his past.”
I wouldn’t lie, that did hurt. It felt like a punch to the gut, like a throbbing reminder of Ava’s words, but I shoved down its sting. Instead, I let my eyes drop on the suitcases.
“You packed light,” I noted calmly, nodding toward the luggage. “Strange for someone leaving.”
For someone who claimed to be leaving, she only packed a few boxes out of the many she had brought with her. And in the few boxes she packed now, not a single one belonged to her. I couldn’t help but scoff at that. The more time I spent with her, the more I discovered different sides of her.
Her nostrils flared. “Do not try to mock me, Kyle,” She gritted, furiously wiping at a tear that had escaped her eyelids. No doubt a fake. “You don’t even have the…”
“Lillian,” I said, cutting her off, already tired of the drama, “if this was really about leaving, you would’ve been gone before I walked in. No witnesses. No drama. So let’s drop the act.”
She turned red, and as if to prove me wrong, she growled. “F*ck you!”
And with that, she turned away sharply, snapping her fingers at the maids who had become too engrossed in watching us argue. “Get the rest. Now!”
“You’re not going anywhere,” I said, moving to block her.
Lillian’s eyes flared. “Get out of the way, Kyle.”
“You can leave. I’m not stopping you. But not with my son.”
She paused, her eyes narrowing. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” I motioned toward Neo, who was starting to stir in her arms. “You can leave. But he stays
with me.”
There was silence, just the two of us glaring at each other.
She scoffed and sniffed, saying, “Oh, now you suddenly want to be a father? To the son you barely hold? The one you didn’t even see?” Her tone was mocking. I couldn’t help but tighten my jaw in anger. I hadn’t expected her to use that card.
“You can continue to twist things, but…”
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Cuna
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<Chapter Forty–Two
“You already twisted them yourself!” She shouted, and this time, Neo burst into loud sobs.
+8 Points >
Anger washed over me as my eyes flicked to Neo, his little face turning red as he cried. “Give him to me,” I said, reaching for the boy, but she pulled away.
“Don’t touch him!”
With a deep sigh of frustration, I tried again, this time with more calmness I could muster at that moment. Lillian, please give him to me.”
However, she remained stubborn, tears streaming down her face while the child wailed.
“You’re so cold. So emotionally dead…”
“Just hand him to me,” I gritted, trying not to escalate the moment, “You’re upsetting him.”
But she remained stubborn while the child wailed. So without thinking, I gently yanked my son from her grasp, ignoring her after–effect protest.
I cradled Neo instantly, his sobs muffled against my chest. I didn’t say anything. Couldn’t. Not as she stomped toward the stairs after a moment, muttering under her breath. She hadn’t really planned to leave, she just wanted a reaction. And now, she had it. But it wasn’t the one she expected.
The door to the guest room upstairs slammed a moment later, shaking the walls. I pretended I didn’t see the maids scurrying away into a corner after that instead…..
I moved into the living room and sat on the couch, rocking Neo gently. “It’s okay, buddy. Daddy’s here,” I whispered, my heart aching with guilt, then I muttered. “I’m so sorry.” For being the best bad father to him. His cries faded into soft hiccups as his little fingers gripped the fabric of my shirt. Eventually, he calmed enough to fall asleep in my arms. I sat there, staring into nothing. My mind ran circles around every mistake I’d made, each one a mile that separated me from the people I loved most.
I hated this. I hated what I’d become. I was losing both of my sons, and it was entirely my fault. I hated it more because I didn’t know how to fix it. I didn’t know if it could be fixed. I didn’t even know what to do right.
I closed my eyes for a moment. Letting everything unravel in my mind. However, a buzz from my phone on the table pulled me back.
I reached for it carefully and read the message.
Ava has left the company premises. She has resumed working from her own firm.
Of course, she did. After all, what reason did she have to stay? I’d created that contract just so I could have her and Zareon close, but now I had ruined everything with my own hands.
My throat tightened as I looked down at the small boy sleeping in my arms. My son. The one I’d given up everything for, only to discover that, somehow, I’d managed to lose another.
I didn’t want to think about it, but I had to. I divorced Ava because I wanted to give Neo legitimacy, a name, a place, a future without judgment. But in doing so, I ripped Zareon away from the only home he knew. From the love I and his mother had shared. And now, I might never get to make either of them, know what a father’s love truly feels like.
I blinked rapidly, trying to push back the burn behind my eyes and the throbbing pain pressing on my skull. Maybe I need more alcohol.
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<Chapter Forty–Two
Slowly, I stood up, careful not to wake Neo, and carried him up to his room. Getting to his room, I laid him gently on the bed, adjusting the blanket over him. His lips puckered, and he turned slightly in his sleep but didn’t wake. I watched him for a moment, memorising his peaceful and calm features, before deciding to
leave.
However, the moment I straightened, the room tilted slightly.
A sharp pain stabbed behind my right eye, travelling to the side of my head. I groaned and clutched my forehead, dropping to my knees at the edge of the bed and burying my face in the softness of the sheets.
It hurt. God, it hurt so f*****g much.
Not the headache, but the guilt. It hurt so much that it felt like my heart was being clawed and torn at.
And then, like water released from a dam, it all spilled out.
The tears. The regret. The shame. The anger. The frustration. Everything spilled out in a rush.
My body shook as I cried silently, the sound of my anguish muffled by the bed. The pain in my chest was so unbearable that I didn’t care if the staff heard me. I didn’t care if Lillian or anyone found me crying like that. I didn’t even care if God Himself was watching me break down in such a shameful way, shaking His head at my foolishness.
All I knew was I was losing everything that ever mattered.
And for once again in my life. I didn’t know how to stop it.
The oddluna
