Chapter 43: 43.

The hum of the spaceship's engines reverberated through the quiet cabin, a soothing sound I’d grown used to over the years. It was a rhythm that made the vast emptiness of space feel almost alive, as though the universe itself was breathing.

Liam stirred on the bed beside me, and I gently ran my fingers through his soft, dark curls, lulling him back into a peaceful sleep. His tiny hand clutched the edge of his blanket, and his soft breathing was the only thing grounding me in this moment.

The weight of what I’d done, of what I’d hidden, pressed heavy on my chest. Every now and then, my mind wandered back to the earlier conversation. Ace’s eyes, his voice, his confusion when I had asked him if he could accept Liam. If only I could go back to that moment and erase the words.

A shadow moved in the doorway, and my heart sank. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

"Why?" Ace’s voice was low, gravelly, but it sliced through the quiet like a blade.

I exhaled slowly, not wanting to wake Liam. My hands rested on my knees as I stood, deliberately taking my time before facing him. "Why what?" I asked softly, though I already knew the answer.

His form filled the doorway, his presence almost suffocating. His jaw was tight, his shoulders tense. "Why didn’t you tell me about him?" His voice trembled, barely controlled.

My stomach twisted, and I met his piercing gaze. "I tried, Ace. After that night, I called. I searched. I asked everyone who might have known where you went. But you left the city, disappeared like a ghost. What was I supposed to do?"

"You tried?" he hissed, stepping closer, his fists clenching at his sides. "You didn’t try hard enough, Zephyr. You knew where I worked. You could have found me if you really wanted to."

"Do you think it was that simple?" My voice rose, anger lacing my words. "Do you think I didn’t want to tell you? That I didn’t want Liam to have his father? I was alone, Ace. I was pregnant, scared, and trying to survive in a city that had swallowed me whole. And you—" My throat tightened. "You vanished. I thought you didn’t care."

His expression darkened, his eyes darting to Liam, still asleep, before locking back onto me. His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "You think I wouldn’t have cared?"

"I don’t know what you would’ve done," I admitted, wrapping my arms around myself as though it could shield me from the storm in his gaze. "I didn’t even know if you’d want him."

He stared at me, his chest heaving. "Is that why you asked me earlier? If I could accept my child?"

I nodded, my voice barely audible. "I needed to know. I needed to hear it from you."

His laugh was bitter, hollow, like the sound of a breaking star. "You needed to hear it now? After all this time? After keeping him from me?" He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident in every movement. "I can’t... I need time to process this."

I held my breath, waiting for him to say something else, to offer even the smallest sign that he cared. But then he said the words that shattered whatever hope I’d been clinging to.

"You should’ve aborted him."

The room spun. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. And then, something snapped inside me. My hand lashed out before I could stop myself, the sharp sound of the slap echoing in the confined space.

"You bastard," I spat, my voice shaking with fury. "How dare you? How dare you say something so vile? Liam is our son, Ace. He’s innocent in all of this, and you—" My voice broke, and I had to clench my fists to steady myself. "You don’t get to walk in here and say that."

His face was a mask of rage, his jaw tightening as he took a step toward me. "Don’t you dare raise your hand to me again, Zephyr," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

"Or what?" I shot back, my heart pounding in my chest. "You’ll yell? You’ll leave again? You’re so good at that, aren’t you?"

Before either of us could escalate further, the door behind Ace slid open, and Xander stormed in, his presence like a gust of wind dousing a flame. "Enough," he barked, stepping between us. His sharp eyes darted between us, lingering on Ace. "You need to calm down. Now."

Ace’s chest rose and fell as he tried to rein in his anger. His eyes flicked to me, still burning with unspoken words, before he turned on his heel and stormed out.

Xander turned to me, his expression softening. "Are you okay?"

I sank onto the edge of the chair, burying my face in my hands. "No," I whispered. My voice was muffled, but I knew he heard me.

He crouched down, his presence steady and grounding. "He’s a fool, Zephyr," he said, his voice low. "But you... you’re stronger than this. Don’t let him break you."

I nodded, though my heart felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces. Somewhere in the other room, Liam stirred, and the sound brought me back to reality. I wiped my eyes and stood, forcing myself to focus on the one thing that mattered most.

Liam.

The stars outside the window twinkled faintly, a reminder of the vastness of the universe. But right now, it felt as though my entire world was crumbling, one piece at a time.

Xander’s hand lingered on my shoulder, a gentle pressure that kept me grounded even as my thoughts swirled in chaos. His gaze, steady and unwavering, searched mine for something—an answer, a reassurance, I wasn’t sure.

“You’re stronger than this,” he repeated, his voice soft, almost a whisper now. “You’ve carried so much on your shoulders, Zephyr. It’s okay to let someone else share the weight.”

The warmth of his words seeped into the cracks I’d spent years patching up. For a moment, the storm inside me quieted, and all I could do was meet his gaze. His eyes, deep and intense, held a sincerity that made it impossible to look away.

“Xander,” I began, my voice catching in my throat.

But he didn’t let me finish. His hand slid from my shoulder to my cheek, his touch feather-light, as though afraid I might shatter. Slowly, deliberately, he closed the gap between us.

The kiss was gentle, almost hesitant, but it sent a jolt through me all the same. For a moment, I froze, caught off guard by the tenderness in his touch. His warmth was a stark contrast to the cold, biting anger I’d just endured from Ace.

My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt myself lean into him, my body betraying the turmoil in my mind. It had been so long since someone had held me with such care, such understanding.

But then, like a lightning strike, the memory of Ace flashed through my mind. His voice, his accusations, his anger—it all came rushing back. Guilt clawed at me, sharp and unrelenting, pulling me back to reality.

I broke the kiss, stepping back as though the space between us could erase what had just happened. My fingers brushed against my lips, my breath shaky. “I—I can’t do this, Xander.”

His brows furrowed, confusion and concern etched across his face. “Zephyr—”

I shook my head, cutting him off. “I can’t,” I repeated, my voice firmer this time. “Ace... Liam... This is too much. It’s not fair to anyone.”

Xander’s shoulders sagged slightly, but he didn’t look away. “It’s not about fairness, Zephyr. It’s about what you need, what you deserve. And you deserve more than what Ace has given you.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that he’s Liam’s father,” I said, my voice trembling. “I have to figure this out with him first. I owe that to Liam, and to myself.”

He exhaled heavily, his hand falling to his side. “I understand,” he said quietly, though the tension in his jaw told me otherwise.

I stepped past him, needing to put more distance between us, even if it hurt. “Thank you, Xander,” I murmured, pausing at the doorway. “For everything.”

His silence followed me as I left the room, the weight of his gaze lingering on my back like a phantom touch. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t.

The hallway stretched before me, dimly lit and empty, but it felt as though the walls were closing in. My mind raced, caught between the fragile peace I’d found in Xander’s presence and the storm waiting for me with Ace.

Liam’s small figure came into view as I entered his room. He was still asleep, his innocent face untouched by the chaos swirling around him. I knelt beside his cot, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.

For him, I had to be strong. For him, I had to face whatever lay ahead.

But as I sat there, the memory of Xander’s kiss lingered, warm and unbidden, a reminder of the comfort I so desperately wanted but couldn’t allow myself to have. Not yet.