Nonreciprocal Love (COMPLETED)

Chapter 24

A/N: This is a very lengthy chapter, as in really long. It's 3700+ words, 1000 more words than I normally write.

Happy reading :)

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Chapter 24

"Oh sweetheart, I thought something bad had happened to you." Hilda hurried towards her son and pulled him into a tight embrace. Her children were her most precious possession and she couldn't bare the thought of anything bad happening to them.

"Mom, I'm fine." Ace reassured her. She pulled away and placed a quick kiss on the side of his head.

"Honey, at least let him get inside first. I'm sure he's exhausted." Lucas told his wife as realization hit her and ushered him in. "Where's Chloe?" Lucas asked.

"She'll be here soon." He lied, uncertain when she would be back. "I actually need to speak to the both of you." Ace announced as soon as they were all seated on the couch in their library. Ace was sitting on the one-seater couch while his parents sat on the sofa across front of him.

"Of course, sweetheart. We're all ears." Hilda assured, allowing him to go on.

"What is this about?" Lucas urged him when Ace didn't say anything after a while. Ace was hesitant at first and when he finally found the courage to tell his parents of what he had done, his father's phone rang in his pocket.

Lucas fished it out of his pocket and glanced at the caller ID. "It's work. Is it okay if I take this?" He questioned, waiting for Ace's approval.

"Of course, go ahead dad." He told him as his father nodded his head and stood up.

"I'll be quick." He said as he answered the call and left the room.

Ace got up from his seat and sat on the centre table in front of his mother. He took a hold of her hand and rubbed it soothingly with his thumb. He had never felt so anxious in his entire life. This was one of the worst feelings ever.

"You can tell me anything, sweetheart." She encouraged him, seeing the hesitant in his eyes.

A silent moment fell among them and Hilda patiently waited until he was ready to speak. "I-uh..." Ace stuttered. He felt like he was going to choke on his own spit from how nervous and guilty he was feeling.

"Ace." His mother softly muttered, holding his cheek with the palm of her hand in comfort.

He took a deep breath before finally releasing the words that he had been holding heavily in his chest the entirety of the time he was searching for his real parents. "I met my biological mother today." He announced, feeling as if he was liberated from the heavy weight that was crushing his shoulders little by little.

When he thought that he was finally free, he saw the disappointment, fear, and sadness all flashing in his mother's eyes. It hadn't even been a second yet, but all the guilt, anxiousness, and fright came swarming in his stomach once again. This time, it was much more painful.

"Mom..." He breathe out, afraid that she was going to hate him for not telling her.

She abruptly pulled away from him and stood up, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. A tear had travelled down her face before she could even hold it back. Ace felt like someone was stabbing his chest repeatedly as he watched his mother who looked like she was suffering from agony and sorrow.

"Mom." He whimpered once again.

"I knew this day was gonna come. I just-...I didn't expect it was gonna be today." She explained as another tear had ran down her cheek. Ace was quick on his feet and gently held her by the shoulders.