Page 81 of When Love And Destiny Collide

The sickening feeling that's been building inside me now claws at my throat, forcing out a sound I hardly recognize. "Your father?"

"I'm so sorry, Noah," she chokes out, her voice breaking as tears pool in her eyes and spill down her cheeks. "All my father kept saying was that he didn't know she was married."

"First of all," I say, pulling her into my arms, feeling the tension in her shoulders, "none of this is your fault. You hear me? None of it."

"But she threatened to take Davey away from you... if it turns out he's not yours," she whispers, her voice trembling, punctuated by soft hiccups.

My heart clenches painfully. "What did you tell her?" I ask, my thumb gently brushing away the tears clinging to her cheeks.

"I picked up my purse and walked out," she says, twisting the ring around her finger before lifting her gaze to mine. Her eyes, wide and vulnerable, search mine for reassurance. "I never want anything to come between us, Noah. Especially not this."

"Nothing ever will, Sweetheart," I promise, my voice low and steady, pulling her closer.

"Even if it involves my father?" she asks, her eyes filled with a quiet plea, searching my face for any trace of doubt.

"Your father didn't know she was married," I reply, holding her gaze with calm certainty. "Now we know why he’s been so drawn to Davey."

"How can you be so calm?" she asks, another tear slipping down her cheek. Her eyes are red and swollen with worry, yet in this moment, she's never looked more beautiful—her raw emotion laid bare.

I sit up straight on the couch, turning fully to face her. Taking a slow breath to steady myself, I say with quiet conviction, "Davey is my son."

"Noah," she murmurs, her voice filled with uncertainty.

When her gaze drifts away, I say softly, "Lily, look at me, Sweetheart." Sympathy floods her eyes—it’s as if she thinks I'm clinging to a thread of hope, unwilling to accept a different reality.

Realizing this will be the first time I share what I've kept to myself for nearly a year, I continue, "Marian's willingness to sign over custody of Davey raised alarms for me from the start. If she ever decided she wanted him back, the only way a court would hand him over is if he wasn’t mine. I was married to her long enough to know just how calculating she can be, so I had to stay one step ahead."

"What do you mean?" she asks, her voice laced with confusion.

"When Marian left us, she gave me a divorce and full custody of Davey. I immediately filed a request with the legal system in Japan for a DNA test. Given her abandonment of our family, the court was more than willing to acquiesce to my request."

I watch as my revelation begins to sink in. First, a smile dances across her lips; then, the kissable dimple on her cheek deepens. "He's yours," she says, her sapphire eyes sparkling with realization.

"Yes," I nod. "Davey is my son."

When she glances away, and her smile sobers, I ask, “What’s wrong?”

“Marian demanded I give the ring back,” she says, twisting it thoughtfully around her finger again.

“She did what?” I ask, incredulous.

“Yeah. She said your happiness was in my hands and that if I didn’t leave you, she’d take Davey away.”

“Because she thinks he’s not mine,” I assert.

“Maybe she was bluffing,” she replies.

“No,” I say firmly. “It was a threat, but to be fair, she’s right. My happiness is in your hands.”

When her hands wrap around my neck, I pull her close until her body melts in my arms.

“Let’s get married,” she says, gazing into my eyes. “Let’s elope!”

“Absolutely not,” I respond vehemently. “I want to see you walk down the aisle in a white gown, your father by your side. I want to write my own vows so everyone we love can witness just how much I love you. I want to hear the preacher pronounce us husband and wife, and I want to hear him say, ‘You may kiss your bride.’”

***

The clock on the nightstand reads two-thirty. I turn over in bed for what seems like the tenth time, wishing Lily were lying beside me. Each night, walking away from her becomes more difficult, but we'll soon be husband and wife, and it will all be worth it, including waiting.

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