Brought By Destiny

Chapter 17

The Mirror of Truth

Lilly’s POV:

I stood before the towering mahogany doors of Michael’s family home, my palms slightly damp and my heart fluttering with a nervous rhythm. It had been three months. And Michelle visited me thrice a week to keep checking on me.
I don't know how more to be greatful towards him.

I was more than a little anxious to meet his parents. Michael had been completely transparent with them; he told them the truth about how we met on those dark streets, the harrowing story of my past, and even the messy details of his own breakup and the loss of his job.

Knowing they knew my secrets made me feel exposed, yet Michael’s assurance that they wanted to see me gave me a flicker of courage.

I took a deep breath, smoothing out the fabric of my dress, and rang the bell. The door swung open almost instantly to reveal a radiant Michael. A genuine smile transformed his face the second he saw us.

He didn't say a word to me at first; instead, he bent down and scooped Ryan up into a rib-crushing hug.

Ryan squealed with delight, wrapping his small arms around Michael’s neck and planting a messy kiss on his cheek.

"I mished you!" Ryan chirped in his sweet, garbled baby voice.

"I missed you too, my munchkin!" Michael replied, affectionately pulling at the toddler’s chubby cheek.

"Oh, there you are!" a warm, melodic voice called out from behind him.

A beautiful woman stepped into the
foyer, dressed in an elegant green gown that complimented her graceful stature. I knew immediately she was Michael’s mother. Without a moment’s hesitation, she stepped forward and wrapped me in a sincere embrace.

I froze for a split second, I wasn't used to such motherly warmth from strangers but then I relaxed and hugged her back.

"I'm so happy that you came!" she exclaimed, her eyes dancing with genuine joy as she pulled back to look at me.

"I had to come," I said, a soft, loving smile tugging at my lips as I glanced toward Michael. "How could I deny my life-saver?"

Michael caught my gaze and smiled back, a silent understanding passing between us.

"Oh dear, please, come in!" his mother insisted, gently taking my arm and pulling me into the heart of the house.

We settled into the sprawling living room, an area that felt both grand and lived-in. Ryan was immediately occupied with a collection of toys they had laid out for him. Michael’s mother was an absolute delight; she possessed a rare kindness that made me feel entirely at ease, almost as if my own mother were sitting beside me.

She had even gone to the trouble of making Ryan’s favorite pasta, watching with a satisfied smile as he devoured it. While we were chatting about lighthearted things, a man entered the room. He was tall, handsome, and carried an aura of quiet intellect and education. He scanned the room and smiled at us.

I gave him a shy, small smile in return. Despite everything, I was still cautious and a bit awkward around men I didn't know.

"Hey honey! I was just about to call for you," Michael’s mother said, her face lighting up. She stood and crossed the room to kiss his cheek.

"Meet Lilly," she added, gesturing toward me.

I stood up politely, offering a small nod. He returned the gesture with a kind smile, but the warmth in the room evaporated the second Michael stood up. Without a word to the man, Michael turned on his heel.

"I'll see you later," he said curtly to his mother before exiting the room, leaving a heavy, stifling silence in his wake.

I stood there, bewildered. What just happened? The atmosphere had shifted from cheerful to somber in the blink of an eye.

"Aunty, is everything alright?" I asked softly as we both sat back down on the plush couch.

She looked at me, her eyes clouded with lingering sadness. "There is nothing for me to hide from you, Lilly," she said with a weary smile.

I reached out and held her hand, offering a squeeze of support.
"From the day I married Nathan, Michael has never liked him," she confessed, her voice trembling slightly. "I don't understand why.
Nathan has never done anything but love us. He’s never hurt me, and he’s never been anything but kind to Michael. I feel so heart-broken for Nathan. Did you know? We never had children of our own because Nathan feared Michael would feel left out or replaced. He made the selfless decision to give up having a biological child for Michael's sake."

She looked away, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. I was stunned. A wave of indignation washed over me. It felt so fundamentally wrong for Michael to treat a man like that, a man who had sacrificed so much just to be a father to him.

Without a second thought, I stood up. "Excuse me for a moment, Aunty."

I marched up the stairs to Michael's room. I knocked firmly, but there was no answer. Frustrated, I pushed the door open myself.

I found him sitting on the edge of his bed, the anger still visible in the set of his shoulders. Ryan was curled up on his lap, fast asleep. I walked over without a word, carefully scooped Ryan into my arms, and turned to leave.

Michael scrambled to his feet, reaching out to catch my hand. "What’s wrong? Where are you going in such a hurry?" he asked, looking genuinely shocked by my behavior.

"Why do you care?" I snapped, spinning around to face him.
"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Why do you love Ryan so much, Michael? Tell me, who is he to you? Why do you care for him, play with him, and protect him?" I demanded, my eyes wide with the challenge.

He stared at me, his mouth opening and closing as he searched for an answer. He remained frozen, unable to articulate the feeling.

"I'm asking you a question! Answer me!" I shouted, my voice rising in the quiet room. "Why do you love a child that isn't yours?"

He looked down, his silence speaking volumes. "I never thought you could be so cruel to your own parents," I continued, my voice shaking with emotion. "That man downstairs loves you so much that he gave up the chance to have his own flesh and blood just to make sure you felt loved. And you treat him like he's nothing. You have no biological relationship with Ryan, yet you love him like a son, don't you? You demand that he accepts you, but you refuse to do the same for Nathan."

Michael looked like I had slapped him. He stood there, stunned and speechless.

"Nathan is your father," I said firmly.   I know he’s your step-dad, but in every way that matters, he is your Dad. He loves you with a sincerity that most people never find. He isn't Anthony, Michael. He isn't a monster. He’s a good man who chose you."

I didn't wait for him to respond. I turned and walked out of the room with Ryan in my arms. I knew I had been blunt, perhaps even rude, but Michael needed a wake-up call. He was blinded by a grudge he didn't even seem to understand.

I went downstairs and said a quick, polite goodbye to his mother. She begged me to stay longer, but the mood had been spoiled for me. I wanted to go home and process everything. I thanked her for the lovely meal and the hospitality, then made my way to the car.

As I drove home, the image of Nathan’s kind, hopeful face and the sadness in Michael’s mother’s eyes stayed with me. I hoped that my words had pierced through Michael’s stubbornness.

He was a savior to me, but even saviors need to be saved from their own shadows sometimes. I reached my house, tucked Ryan into his bed, and sat in the quiet of my living room, wondering if our relationship would ever be the same after the truth I had forced him to face.