『 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗲 』

𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗐𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗎𝗋- 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵

ALEX GAVE DAPHNE a towel after holding her hair for the past few minutes while she was sick. Her morning sickness had started and Alex tried to help as much as he could, while being forced to attend meetings by his father.

"Here." He gave her a glass of water.

Daphne smiled, drinking it. "Thank you."

"Is there anything I can do?"

She shook her head, starting to wash her face. When she was done, she asked, "How was the meeting today?"

Alex tried not to tense, giving his betrothed a shrug. "It was fine. Let's get you to bed—"

"Alex," frowned Daphne. "You can talk to me whenever you want about anything. You know that, right?"

He sighed. "Everything's fine, Daph."

Daphne reached out a hand, holding his wrist, and slowly putting his palm on her stomach. "What do you think the gender will be?"

Alex smiled. "It doesn't matter. As long as the baby's healthy."

She hummed in agreement, not looking away from his eyes, noticing the way he was avoiding hers— looking at his hand on her stomach instead.

"You seem so much happier with him."

His head snapped up. "With who?"

"Draco," said Daphne, shoulders slumping.

Alex withdrew his hand, looking at her in shock.

"I saw you with him last night. Alex, I know you cannot love me, and I don't blame you one bit for that, but please don't hurt my sister. She loves him."

Alex swallowed the lump forming in his throat. "Does he love her?"

"Would it hurt you if he did? Would it break your heart?"

"I don't think my heart is capable of breaking even more."

"A heart is always capable of breaking more. No matter how badly it was already broken."

"Not mine. It's shattered, Daph."

Daphne put a hand on his chest, feeling the way his heart beat underneath. "Can I fix it?"

He let out a short laugh. "No."

She smiled at the sound of his laugh, then sighed. "I wish I could."

He hesitated, then slowly put his arms around her waist. "I wish you could, too."

"Who broke it the most?"

Alex immediately let go of her, putting his hands on his face.

"Alex—"

He turned around, his back now to her. "Stop."

"You might feel better," said Daphne desperately. "You need someone to talk to."

Alex didn't reply, letting out a shaky breath.

"Alex, you're not weak. If anything, you're the strongest person I've ever known."

He turned back around, eyes tearing up.

He slowly slid to the ground, watching as she sat down next to him immediately, pulling his head to her chest.

"They killed her in front of me. My own mother— I had to hear her screams— I was— I was only nine.."

She patiently listened, starting to play with his hair as he started to sob on her chest.

If she could, she would take all his pain away.

"I didn't want to kill him. I didn't know what had gotten into me. His blood was on my hands for days— I had no idea how to get it off. That was my first ever murder and— and then I killed his son years later, and somewhere in between I had killed more people."

"How many people have you killed, Alex?" She asked softly.

"About seven," Alex pulled away, looking at her desperately with tearful eyes. "I know I seem like a monster, Daphne. But I'm not. I regret each and every kill. I'm not like my father— I swear—"

"I know, Alex." She put a hand on his cheek, wiping his tears. "You're not a monster. Not to me, anyway."

"I waited for my father for years," continued the boy. "I needed him so many times. When I stopped needing him, he finally showed up. I didn't need him anymore. Not when I had faced everything alone."

"Oh, Alex," she shook her head, feeling immensely bad for the boy.

"He forced me to kill someone with a knife. He knows I killed my mother's murderer with a knife. He mocks me for it."

Daphne wiped his tears that were still falling.

"I don't want my child growing up without a father. I just don't think I'm the father they would need."

She immediately shook her head again. "Don't say that, Alex."

"Daphne, please tell me the truth. If you think I won't be a good father, tell me. I don't want to ruin this child's life."

"I wasn't lying when I said you'd be a great father, Alex. Please, don't ever think the opposite. I know you'll be a wonderful father."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm very sure."

He nodded, wiping his tears. When he was done, he looked at her. "Thank you, Daph."