CHAPTER 279: CHAPTER 279: THE NIGHT OUR HEARTS BECAME ONE

~Evric’s POV~

My honest reaction when I first found out Zayn had a child was pure, unadulterated fear. It was the first time I had truly felt stomach-dropping hardship in my life. Everything that had happened recently, the public confrontations, Meera’s escalating demands, the ticking clock, had left my mind heavy, burdened by a vulnerability I rarely experienced.

I didn’t mention it to anyone, not to Evans, not to Nuala or Chrisly, not even Karl, who is handling everything for me. I didn’t react visibly, I didn’t ask for advice, and I certainly didn’t let Zayn see the depth of my anxiety. All I did was hope, desperately, that he would choose me.

The waiting was agonizing. I already have a sleep disorder, typically managing only a few hours of rest a night, but with this turmoil, I barely slept at all. The entire ordeal was so disruptive that I changed my rooms, seeking a new atmosphere, but it made no difference. The possibility of losing him consumed my mind.

During the days leading up to this moment, when I saw him at the restaurant, or when we talked on the phone, I was just focused on being an anchor for him, maintaining a hopeful facade. I focused on the truth: I always wanted Zayn to love just me, purely and completely. I wanted him to care for me, cherish me, and love only me. But fate, as always, had other plans. I would sound utterly selfish if I denied that when I found out the truth—that a child tied him irrevocably to his past—my heart couldn’t take it at first. The pain was sharp.

But then, my love for him, which is the strongest thing I’ve ever felt, took over. I made a decision entirely on my own: If Zayn chose me, we were going to both care for the child. I loved Zayn so much, and I was absolutely not ready to lose him just because he had fathered a child before he ever knew me.

Tonight, my fear peaked. I was so convinced that he wouldn’t show up. I know how genuinely kind Zayn is, and I worried he would feel obligated or take pity on the child and choose to stay with Meera. But the sheer magnitude of his love for me, the fact that he walked away from Meera’s threats and ultimatums and showed up late, literally filled me with joyous relief.

Zayn chose me on his own. He made a choice to be with me on his own. He walked into this room on his own. For this love he gave to me, this incredible vote of confidence, I will never, ever take it for granted.

"Thank you, Zayn," I muttered to him, the words tasting like victory and devotion.

I felt a fierce, raw urgency and started to unbutton his shirt, needing the physical confirmation that he was truly here, truly mine. But then, his soft hand stopped mine.

He looked up at me, his eyes wide and beautiful, still carrying the ghost of tears. "Babe, is everything alright?" he asked, misreading my intense passion as distress.

I immediately lifted my hands, cupping his face gently. I tilted his head back slightly, forcing him to meet my gaze. "Babe, everything is more than okay," I whispered, resting my forehead against his.

"I just... I just need to thank you. Truly. Meeting you, Zayn, coming into my life, it has literally helped me grow more in these past few months than the last decade."

I pulled back just enough to see his reaction, pouring every ounce of my sincerity into the confession. Before you, I was a caricature. A spoiled, entitled rich boy who managed every problem with destruction, avoidance, or money. If this situation with Meera had happened six months ago, I would have burned down my own world just to hurt her, or worse, I would have vanished completely, unable to handle the complexity. I wouldn’t have had the grace to wait, the strength to hope, or the decency to fight fair.

"But you taught me how to stand strong for myself," I murmured, brushing my thumb over his jawline. "You taught me that love isn’t about ownership; it’s about trust and making a deliberate choice. You showed me how to manage a crisis without destroying myself or others, how to be patient, how to wait for the truth to prevail."

My voice deepened with emotion. "You, my amazing man, have made me a better, stronger person. You are my clarity, my reason, and my peace. You chose me, after everything. And for that selflessness, that absolute trust you have in us... I am eternally grateful."

I paused, looking at his shining eyes. "You don’t just have my heart, my love. You have the best version of me, and you created him. Thank you, Zayn." I lowered my head and sealed the moment with a soft, reverent kiss.

I looked at him then, and the fight finally left me. My vision blurred slightly, and a sudden, uncontrollable wave of exhaustion hit me. A single, hot tear rolled down my cheeks. I smiled, letting the vulnerability show.

"I’m exhausted, Zayn," I admitted, my voice thick with sleep deprivation and relief. "I’m so incredibly tired now that you are finally beside me." I chuckled, a weak, broken sound. "I had so many plans and surprises for you— but I want to sleep. God, I really need a good sleep."

Another tear escaped. "But I still want to have sex with you, you know? It’s been months since we did that, and I’ve dreamed of this moment... but I’m exhausted. Can the grand surprise wait until tomorrow? I just—" My hands trembled on his cheeks. "I really want to sleep, but I still want to have sex."

Zayn’s face softened into the most beautiful, gentle expression. He reached up and wiped my tears away. "We can just have sex and sleep for tonight, baby. You’ve been so strong through all of this. It’s okay to admit you’re exhausted."

"No," I said with a small smile, taking his hands. "I’m not going to have sex with you without making you mine first. Even if it means doing it twice."

I stood up, pulling him carefully with me. The energy of pure love hit me like an electric current, overriding the exhaustion. I started walking him to the center of the room, my voice suddenly frantic, spilling out all the loneliness of the past months.

"Babe," I murmured, brushing my thumb along his knuckles, "let me tell you how I felt after you left my house, when it was just me there, alone."

He nodded gently. "Okay, baby. I’m listening."

"When you weren’t around, Zayn, the whole place felt empty. The food tasted bland. Coming home to a space without your scent or your little clutter felt painfully lonely. It felt wrong not being the one to drop you at the restaurant, and knowing I wouldn’t share the drive back with you... It hurt more than I expected. All those days without you made me realize something, I need you around more than I need air, Zayn."

We reached a small, beautifully decorated table that I had set up earlier. I flipped a hidden switch, and the central area of the room bathed in a romantic, focused light. I dropped down onto one knee, ignoring the sudden pain in my joints, and reached into my pocket for the small box.

"Zayn," I began, my voice thick with emotion, shaking uncontrollably, "Will you be mine for the rest of our lives.?"

A warm smile curved on his lips. "Wait... are you asking for my hand in marriage right now?"

I fumbled with the box, my mind racing. "I know this proposal is cheap," I rushed to say, panicking because this wasn’t the flawless, grand event I planned. "I know it’s rushed, but trust me, babe, this is not the actual proposal I prepared for you. I planned something bigger, something extravagant. But if you don’t want this..."

Zayn quickly said, "No, no, babe. I don’t mean it like that."

I swallowed hard, pushing the box toward him. "I bought three different diamond rings. I just want to give you this one tonight and do the real one later, when I’m not half-dead from stress."

Zayn broke down again, burying his face in his hands as soft, joyful tears slipped through his fingers. He sank to his knees, coming level with me.

"I just don’t want to sleep with you tonight without giving you this ring," I confessed, tears of my own finally falling, tears of joy and relief. "I want to sleep with you as my fiancé, Zayn, not just my boyfriend. I love you, I love you more than anything. So, please, tell me, will you give me the honor of being your forever person?"

Zayn lifted his head, his face a mess of happy tears, his voice choked with emotion. "Yes! Yes! Baby, listen Evric... everything you did for me today, everything you’ve done, is priceless. It’s not cheap! I will always cherish this. This is perfect. So yes, baby. So yes... I’ll be yours forever. And you’ll be mine just the same."

"Thank you, my love." I quickly slid the elegant, simple diamond band onto his finger. He looked at it, then back at me, tears and smiles mixing on his face. I didn’t wait; I grabbed him, pulling him up into a deep, desperate kiss.

The kiss was everything—a contract, a promise, a celebration. I lifted him easily into my arms, still kissing him, and carried him the few steps to the large, plush bed. I placed him gently down, following him immediately, letting the exhaustion and the fear of the last few days finally dissolve into the sweet, hot romance of the moment.

In seconds, I stripped him bare, both of us naked, my eyes drinking in the view. My hands were shaking, and the sight of him, my fiancé, my love, my Zayn was the most intoxicating, beautiful view I had ever missed.

Then I sank into him...