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After returning home, Zayn lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind tangled in a thousand questions that refused to give him peace.

"Why is Elior behaving like that?"

"Why is he so restless, so angry, so involved in everything I do?"

"He never loved me... right?"

Zayn turned to his side, clutching the pillow tightly. The silence of the room only made the noise in his head louder. Elior’s words from the restaurant replayed over and over like a broken record. The way he looked at him… the tremble in his voice when he said “Ari is my child.”

It didn’t make sense.

"He used me for his revenge, he walked away, he chose his revenge over love, then why now? Why after all this time? Why does he care who I'm with or if I'm getting married?"

Zayn shut his eyes, trying to push the thoughts away, but they were relentless. It wasn’t just about Elior anymore it was about Ari. His little son, innocent and unaware, caught in the middle of a storm he never asked for.

He felt his throat tighten, tears threatening to spill. His heart ached not for Elior, not even for himself but for the child who would one day grow up and ask questions that Zayn didn’t have the answers to.

And as he lay there, the tears silently rolled down his cheeks.

He never realized when, in the middle of those thoughts, pain, and confusion he slowly drifted off to sleep.

---

Two days later, as the sun began to dip behind the horizon and painted the sky in hues of gold and crimson, Zayn stepped out of his apartment building, hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie. He had just planned a short walk to the nearby convenience store Just a quiet evening escape.

But fate had other plans.

The moment he pushed through the front gate, his steps slowed. His eyes landed on a figure leaning against a sleek black car, looking both exhausted and determined.

Elior Blackwood.

Zayn instantly froze. He looked away, pretending not to see him, Tightening his jaw, he began walking past him like he was a stranger on the street.

But Elior wasn’t about to let that happen.

“Zayn!” Elior called out, stepping forward. “Zayn, I need to talk to you. Please… it’s important.”

Zayn stopped in his tracks but didn’t turn. He took a breath, composed himself, and finally faced him. His voice was cold, distant. “What is it?”

Elior hesitated, gathering the storm of thoughts in his head and forcing them into one sentence.

“Zayn… Adric is married,” he said, his tone low but heavy. “And not just to anyone he’s married to Rhys. Your best friend. Zayn, he is Rhys’s husband.”

Zayn blinked, then let out a small, bitter laugh. He looked Elior straight in the eye. “So what, Elior?” he said sharply. “I don’t see any problem.”

Elior’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Zayn… Rhys is your best friend. How could you just how could you be okay with this?”

But Zayn had had enough.

He stepped closer, expression now stone-cold. “Look, Mr. Blackwood,” he snapped, his voice sharp as glass, “I don’t know you. Not anymore. So I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t involve yourself in my personal matters.”

Elior stood there, frozen. The person in front of him was no longer the Zayn he once knew. This Zayn had built walls so high Elior could barely see over them.

Just then, the sound of a car door opening broke the tension.

A small voice chirped from the vehicle, “Mommy!”

Both men turned at once.

Ari jumped down from the back seat, his little legs carrying him with full speed toward Zayn.

Zayn’s features immediately softened. He rushed forward and scooped the boy into his arms.

Ari wrapped his arms around Zayn’s neck and said with a cheeky grin, “mommy are you fighting.”

Zayn let out a soft chuckle despite the situation and kissed Ari’s cheek. “No, baby. No fighting.”

Elior stood still, stunned, his gaze glued to the child. Adric stepped out of the driver’s seat now, walking over casually. “Zayn, I was going to call you, but Ari kept asking for you, so I thought I’d drop him myself.”

Zayn nodded briefly, “Thank you.”

Adric looked between the two men and smirked. “Seems like there’s a lot left unsaid here. Maybe... you two should talk properly?”

Zayn hesitated. He didn’t want to. He didn’t owe Elior anything not anymore. But with Ari watching them with curious eyes and Adric subtly encouraging the idea, he found himself nodding.

“Fine,” Zayn murmured. “Let’s go upstairs.”

---

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