Being His

Chapter 26

The rays of the sun shone through the windows, casting light into the room that held two people. Ezekiel sat across from Freyja. She looked up at him confused and expectantly. She had noticed that he had been pulling away from her, ignoring her and staying out late. He would come home when she fell asleep and leave before she woke up. She was about to confront him but he told her they were going to have a talk, the way he spoke told her that this was important. Her heart was racing with anticipation as placed a file onto his table, he pushed it in her direction. "I found them," he said simply, his voice bare of any emotion. "Your birth family."

Freyja's breath hitched in her throat as she leaned forward, her eyes scanning the documents. Her birth certificate. The names etched into the paper felt like a warm embrace after years of being lost in the cold. "Where did you find it?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"Through a contact of mine," he said, his gaze never leaving the documents. "They've been searching for you for a long time, Freyja. Your parents and your brother... they've never stopped looking."

She reached out and took the documents in her hands. "I never knew," she whispered. "I have a family." Tears welled up in her eyes as she imagined what it must have been like for them, never knowing where she was or if she was alive. "Can I meet them?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I want to know who they are, where they are... and if they'll accept me."

"Of course they will," Ezekiel said with certainty. "They've been waiting for you their whole lives. I met with your brother earlier this week, he's going to inform your parents and set a meeting date, you'll see them soon".

Freyja felt a mix of emotions churning in her stomach. Excitement, fear, anticipation... She leaned back in her chair, trying to process the news. "But what about you, Ezekiel?" she asked hesitantly. "Will you still be a part of my life?"

Ezekiel studied her face carefully before responding, he saw the hope gleaming in her eyes. "I can't." he looked into her eyes "Your family and I have some bad blood".

"But I thought..." she began. He told her he would always be there for her but now he was breaking his promise.

Ezekiel interrupted gently, "This is the way it has to be, I cannot be a part of your life anymore." His voice was void of any compassion. This wasn't the Ezekiel she knew "You will always have a place in my heart but I have to let you go." Freyja felt a lump form in her throat as she struggled to keep the tears at bay. The pain of losing him was almost unbearable.

"Why are you being like this?" she finally asked. "Did I do anything wrong?" seeing the tears escape eyes and running down her cheek broke the façade Ezekiel put up, he was at her side in moments and wrapped her in his arms. "I'm sorry." she sobbed.

"It's not your fault mi amor" he kissed her forehead and she melt into his embrace. "Your family did something unacceptable to me and when I found out the woman I grew to love is his daughter, shattered something inside me". Freyja's head snapped up to look at him at what he said.

"You love me?".

"I do but I need sometime to process what's happening and you'll be with your family".

She reached out and traced her finger along his jawline, feeling the rough stubble beneath her fingertips. "I understand," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Thank you for finding them... for giving me this chance." He took a deep breath, steadying himself before leaning forward to press a chaste kiss to her lips. It was gentle and sweet, a final goodbye that felt more like a promise for another time. When he pulled away, Gabriela felt as if a part of her had been torn away, too. She fought back the urge to cling to him, to beg him to change his mind. Instead, she forced a smile, telling herself that this was for the best.

Freyja forced herself to stand, taking a deep breath to steady her shaking legs. "Thank you, Ezekiel," she said, her voice barely audible over the roar of blood rushing in her ears. "For everything."

He rose as well, his expression a mix of pain and acceptance. "Anything for you, mio cuore" he said, reaching out to gently brush a stray hair from her forehead. "You deserve happiness, Freyja. And I hope, with time, you'll find it."

'Even if it's without me' he thought.

Freyja nodded, her throat feeling tight as she tried to swallow the lump that had formed there. She forced a smile, trying to reassure him. "I will. I promise." she turned but didn't take a step forward. "What if I choose to stay?".

"Freyja, I wouldn't let you choose between me and your family" she faced him once more "You would regret not taking this chance and I would hate myself if I let you do that". As she turned to leave, Ezekiel's strong arms wrapped around her from behind, his breath warm against her ear. "You're going to be okay" he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. "You're going to find your place in this world." Freyja closed her eyes, savoring the feel of him for what might be the last time. She wanted to believe his words, to have faith that everything would work out in the end. But deep down, she couldn't help but feel a sense of loss and uncertainty. She had to force herself to pull away from his embrace, knowing that she had to leave now. As she walked down the hall, her heart heavy with grief and uncertainty, she couldn't help but wonder if this was the right decision. Ezekiel had been everything to her, and letting him go felt like a piece of her soul was being ripped away.