Brought By Destiny

Chapter 20

Legacy of Love

Author's POV:

The Sunday sun hung low and golden over the Knight estate, casting long, peaceful shadows across the manicured lawn. Inside the house, the atmosphere was electric with an unspoken secret. Michael and Lilly had decided that the news was too big to keep to themselves any longer. They had arranged a grand family gathering, inviting everyone who had stood by them through the storms of the past five years.

As the front door opened, the house was quickly filled with the chaotic, beautiful sounds of friendship and family. Jazz and Jack arrived first, their laughter echoing through the foyer. Soon after, Andrew and his wife, Jeni, walked in. Jeni looked radiant, though there was a certain glowing mystery in her eyes that matched Lilly's own.

Nathan and Michael's mother moved through the room with the practiced ease of seasoned hosts, though Michael's mother kept glancing at Lilly with a knowing, maternal intuition. She could sense the change in the air, a shift toward something monumental.

"Alright, everyone! Can I have your attention for a moment?" Michael called out, standing in the center of the living room with his arm wrapped tightly around Lilly's waist.

The room fell into a curious silence. Ryan, Emma and Jazz's three daughters sat on the rug, sensing the importance of the moment.

"We have some news to share," Lilly began, her voice steady but her eyes shimmering with tears of joy. "Emma is going to be a big sister, and Ryan... you're going to have another sibling to protect. I'm pregnant."

For a heartbeat, the room was silent. Then, an explosion of cheers and applause broke out. Michael's mother let out a sob of pure happiness, rushing forward to envelope Lilly in a hug. Jazz and Jeni were right behind her, screaming in delight.

"Wait! I have something to say too!" Jeni yelled over the noise, her face flushed. She looked at Andrew, who beamed with pride. "Lilly, we're going to be moms together. I'm pregnant too!"

The celebration doubled in intensity. The two friends clung to each other, laughing and crying at the sheer coincidence of growing their families at the exact same time. Jack and Andrew shook hands, their faces glowing with the shared bond of fatherhood.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the joyous chatter, Michael caught Nathan's eye. The older man was standing by the large bay window, watching the scene with a look of profound contentment. Michael gestured toward the backyard, and Nathan followed him out into the quiet evening air.

They stood by the railing of the porch, the same place where their journey of reconciliation had truly begun years ago.

"Dad," Michael began, his voice dropping into a serious, reflective tone. "Seeing everyone in there... seeing the kids... I can't help but think about everything you gave up."
Nathan turned to him, his expression calm. "What do you mean, Michael?"

"I know why you and Mum didn't have biological children," Michael said, his eyes filled with a lingering guilt. "You did it for me. You didn't want me to feel like an outsider. I spent so many years being a brat to you, while you were making the ultimate sacrifice for my happiness. I'm so sorry, Dad. I feel terrible that I was the reason you never had a child of your own."

Nathan stepped closer, placing a heavy, warm hand on Michael's shoulder. He looked at his son with eyes that held no resentment, only a deep, abiding love.

"Michael, look at me," Nathan said firmly. "I didn't 'miss out' on anything. Being your father has been the greatest privilege of my life. A child isn't defined by blood; a child is defined by the love given and received. I chose you, and I would choose you a thousand times over. Seeing you happy, seeing you become the man and the father you are today... that is my legacy. Don't waste another second thinking about the past. Our family is whole, and that is all that matters."

Michael felt a lump form in his throat. He nodded, unable to find the words to express his gratitude. He leaned in and hugged Nathan, not out of obligation, but out of genuine, sonly devotion.

"Thank you, Dad," he whispered.

"Now, let's get back inside," Nathan said, patting his back. "I believe there's a cake that needs eating and two very excited grandmothers to keep in check."

As they walked back into the living room, the sight that greeted them was the definition of "home." Ryan was sitting on the floor, explaining to a wide-eyed Emma how they would have to teach the new babies how to play games. Jazz and Jeni were already planning a joint baby shower, their voices animated and fast.

Lilly looked up as Michael approached. She saw the peace on his face and knew the talk with Nathan had gone well. He sat beside her, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles.

"Everything is perfect," she whispered.

"It really is," Michael replied, looking around the room at the people who had become his world.

Through the pain of kidnapping, the sting of betrayal, and the long road to forgiveness, they had built something unbreakable. As the night carried on with laughter and the warmth of a crackling fireplace, the Knight family stood as a testament to the power of second chances and the enduring strength of a love that was truly complete.