Chapter 40 Break up with her
NOVA
My heart thumped against my chest as I watched him. Knowing he met River freaked the hell out of me, but not as much as it would have done had he met Willow. Thankfully, I had Willow indoors because I was braiding her hair. Else, he would have known she was his, at a glance. River looks so much like me, while Willow is a replica of her dad.
"Nova?"
"He's my son," I gritted out at last, glaring at him as I tried to conceal my expression, so he wouldn't notice how scared I was.
"Your son?" He frowned, drawing another step toward me. "Our son?"
"Not really." I unfolded my arms and placed my hands behind me to hide them. The last thing I wanted was for him to see how much my hands were trembling. He would know I was hiding something from him.
"Not really?"
"Our child... Died... Just like you wished." I had to bite my lower lip at my words while cancelling the evil pronouncement on my kids. There was no need to let him know the kids were alive. Knowing his child was dead might make him stop disturbing me.
"Like I wanted?" His face morphed into confusion as he stared at me like I was nuts. "What the hell are you talking about, Nova??? Why the hell would I want my flesh and blood dead?!"
I winced at his tone as I drew more steps back. "Wasn't that what you wanted five years ago?" I gave him an incredulous look, wondering why he was suddenly pretending as if he weren't the one that sent Lilith to me with that damned signed paper. There was no way I would have mistaken his signature.
He laughed, throwing his head back. When he returned his gaze to me, I noticed a tear under his right eye. "My child is dead," he muttered, taking a step back, his gaze going towards my door. "I wished... Just for a moment that he was mine." His tone broke at the end as he lowered his gaze to the floor. His hands shook, and his shoulders trembled, but he didn't lift his face.
Watching him, I felt guilty. Dashiell didn't seem like he was the one who ordered... No, that's not right. He must have realized how much he needed a child. Why else would he cry over a baby he asked me to abort?
He sniffed and wiped his face before he looked up. His eyes were bloodshot, yet he kept a smile on his face. "When did it happen?" He demanded, his tone neutral.
"When I ran when I left. I miscarried the baby." I clenched my fists so tight that I knew I was drawing blood. Talking about a dead kid, while my babies were healthy and so much alive was something difficult.
He nodded. "Thanks for telling me."
"It's nothing." I relaxed my clenched fists.
"Who is the father of that kid?" He asked, referring to River. "Is he...."
"He's not my child. That's my eldest sister's son. I adopted them when she passed away last year. He reminded me so much of my lost baby, which was why I took up the duty as their mother," I lied through my teeth, keeping my face and tone neutral.
Had Dashiell been Brion, he would have been able to tell I was lying.
"He looks so much like you."
"Hmm." I nodded with a fake smile on my face.
"Can I ..." He inhaled, running his fingers through his hair, which was tousled just like River's. "I'm sorry, Nova," he apologized, his gaze fixed on mine once more. I had to avert my gaze because of how similar his gaze was to Willow. "I know I don't deserve to be given a second chance after everything I did to you when we were together, and how I blamed you after you left me, but I'm asking for a second chance."
"To do what?" I folded my arms as I returned my gaze to him, making sure not to look into his eyes.
"For us to start afresh. I promise you, I won't treat you like I did years ago. I will be the best husband and -"
I scoffed at that. "Best husband? Last I checked, Dashiell, you were the one who wanted a divorce, right? Why are you acting like I'm the bad one?"
He didn't respond immediately. Sighing, he glanced around my property before turning to face me. "I realized too late how much you meant to me."
"Huh?"
"All I ask is for a chance to show to you that I'm genuinely serious about this. About us."
"About us?" It was damned funny hearing him say that. "Who the hell even told you I want to get back with you?"
"What do you want me to do? Tell me, and I will do it," he said, his tone desperate. "To prove to you I'm sincere about us, I will do anything you ask me to."
"Anything?" I worried about my lower lip as a sly thought came to mind.
"Yes, anything." He nodded.
"Break up with Lilith," I stated, my gaze locked on his.
"What?" He drew some steps back, shocked. "What did you just say?"
"Didn't you claim you would do anything I asked?"
He nodded.
"Then, break up with Lilith," I repeated, still with my gaze fixed on his. I could tell my request was a difficult one. It was the only way I knew to get rid of him. With how much he loved her, Dashiell would never split up with Lilith. I was only doing this to stop him from visiting my house.
"Alright," he said at last.
"What??" My eyes widened at his words.
"You asked me to break up with Lilith, right? I will do that," he stated in his tone, resolved. "I will break up with her to prove my love."
"No, that's not -"
"Wait for me." He turned and left, not waiting to hear what I had to say.
I could only watch, confused and amazed. Surely, that wasn't Dashiell. I must have imagined it.