Tabitha's POV
I opened my mouth and wanted to tell Kyrian he was wrong. But then I decided not to. After all, he was just a kid, and the complexities of emotions and identity were simply too much for him to understand.
Besides, I just wanted to see him grow up safe and happy. I wanted nothing else.
Soon, Kyrian closed his eyes, rested his head in my arms, and fell into a deep sleep while snoring. I could even see bright saliva on the corner of his mouth.
I reached out, gently wiped his drool, and looked at him tenderly.
I couldn't help but wonder if my baby would look like Kyrian.
After all, they were both Derek's children.
"Tabitha." Derek's voice rang out in the quiet night, sounding a bit hoarse and deep, breaking the peace.
My face turned cold as I remained silent, waiting for what he was about to say.
Derek cleared his throat, seemingly pondering his wording. "Kyrian really likes you, and I know you like him, too. You can think of him as your son."
I snorted, but deep down, I started to waver.
Yet as soon as I thought of Daphne, I immediately became firm again. "Daphne's legs are broken, so she can't take care of Kyrian. Now you wanna trick me into doing her job for her? Dream on. Who told you I liked him? Here. Take him back."
With that, I pushed the innocent Kyrian into Derek's arms.
To show Derek I didn't like Kyrian indeed, I deliberately sounded mean.
Kyrian, who was still asleep, smacked his lips. He approached the heat like a birdie and grabbed Derek's shirt.
He mumbled, "Mommy."
I was instantly filled with guilt. I sighed, asking myself what I was doing.
How could I take it out on an innocent boy?
In the dim light, Derek looked at me.
He knew that I had always been a kind woman.
He gently pushed Kyrian back into my arms, wanting me to spend more time with Kyrian.
"Tabitha, no matter how many times you push him away, he'll always jump on you and call you Mommy. That's what kids do," he said.
I looked away but didn't push Kyrian away again. Instead, I uncontrollably wrapped my fingers around Kyrian's waist and pulled him closer to me.
But I still stubbornly retorted, "I'm not his real mom. If I want a child, I can have one myself."
I was definitely a conversation killer.
Derek looked at me tenderly. "Tabitha, I know you love kids. And we will have kids."
Upon hearing that, I felt a chill down my spine for some reason.
I turned to look at Derek and saw nothing but tenderness on his face and affection in his eyes.
I frowned unhappily. "Derek, be realistic, OK? What happened has happened. We can never go back. Do you think I'm totally guilt-free when staying with you?"
He reached out to me and stroked his slender fingertips over my eyebrows to stop me from frowning.
His voice was gentle to the extreme. "Tabitha, I am different from you. I'll never blame you no matter what you have done to me, even if it is betrayal. I'll never let you go."
I looked at Derek coldly, feeling greatly uneasy.
Now, it was more than a hunch. I knew Derek was hinting at something.
Did he already know?
Derek slowly moved his hand onto my back. Horrified, I almost jumped up.
"Tabitha, don't be nervous. I won't harm you..." he said. Then his gaze became paranoid and possessive as he said the most moving sweet nothings in the world, "I love you. No matter what you become, I will always love you. I will not let go, not even the day I die."