Third person's POV
Derek lay face down, unable to see Tabitha's expression.
His heart was a mess of anxiety, unsure of what she was thinking.
He wrestled with himself—part of him desperately wanted to tell her the truth, while another part feared it would only hurt her more.
But he knew he couldn't keep hiding it.
"Tabitha, I think it's time I explain everything about Daphne and me. There's no point in keeping secrets now," Derek said, taking a deep breath.
Tabitha was cleaning Derek's wounds, her hands steady but slow.
When Derek brought up the topic, she felt no relief—only a deep, gnawing fear.
She was terrified he'd say something dismissive, like it was a moment of weakness or that he'd been drugged.
Her hands trembled slightly, each movement deliberate, as if she were bracing herself for what was coming.
Derek didn't wait for her reaction. "I've wanted to tell you the truth for a long time. But back then, you were too unstable. I couldn't predict how things would turn out. If I had died on the operating table last night, you'd never have known. I don't want to leave any more regrets. Tabitha, the paternity test I gave you back then… it wasn't fake."
Tabitha's hands froze mid-motion, the disinfectant swab nearly slipping from her fingers.
Her heart raced, a wave of shock crashing over her.
"What did you say?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"I've always told you I never touched Daphne. How could we have a child together? Kyrian is our firstborn. He was just premature," Derek said firmly, his tone sincere.
Tabitha's breathing quickened, her mind spinning. She couldn't process what she was hearing.
"You're lying," she said, her voice rising. "You have to be."
"Back then, you were so sick. I gave you the report, but you thought I was just trying to make you feel better. If you don't believe me, I've asked Alvin to bring Kyrian's hair sample. We're in a hospital—we can run the test again," Derek explained patiently.
"But… how did this happen?" Tabitha's voice wavered, her emotions a tangled mess.
Part of her was overwhelmed with joy.
If this was true, it meant her child with Derek was alive.
But another part of her was terrified it was all a cruel joke, that she'd be left heartbroken again.
Derek sighed. "It's a long story. Do you remember Randall? Years ago, you ran into some thugs on the street, and he stepped in to help you."
At the mention of the name, vague memories surfaced in Tabitha's mind.
It was the only time in her life she had been in such danger. She was very young and terrified.
[$]
A man had appeared out of nowhere, taking down the thugs with ease.
She remembered him clearly—he had a lollipop in his mouth, a mix of ruggedness and charm.
Now that she thought about it, he did look a bit like Derek.
"Who was he?" Tabitha asked, confused.
"He was my cousin. We grew up together, closer than brothers," Derek explained.
Tabitha frowned. "What does he have to do with Daphne and Kyrian?"
Derek didn't hesitate. "He's the child's real father."
Tabitha's head spun. She felt like she was lost in a fog, unable to make sense of anything.
"Explain it properly. I don't understand," she said urgently.
"Randall and I have trained together since we were kids. Because we looked alike, he became one of my decoys. We went through life-and-death situations together. But he made one mistake—he fell for Daphne and got her pregnant. During a mission, he took a fatal hit meant for me. Before he died, he begged me to take care of Daphne and the baby," Derek said, his voice heavy with regret.
"Out of gratitude for Randall, I gave Daphne whatever she asked for. Around the same time, I misunderstood the relationship between the Silver Moon Pack and Elena. Those two things combined pushed me into a spiral of pain and anger. I was taking revenge on the Silver Moon while caring for Daphne during her pregnancy. That's why you thought I'd moved on. When you confronted me, I didn't explain because it was too complicated. I didn't know where to start."