CHAPTER 292: CHAPTER 292: THE WEIGHT OF FATHERHOOD

~Zayn’s POV~

Just as my fingers wrapped around the spoon handle, Meera lunged. She suddenly grabbed my hand, her grip surprisingly tight, stopping me mid-reach. The sudden, desperate act scared me, and Liam, nestled in my lap, stirred slightly.

I braced myself, expecting her usual homophobic jabs about my choice of fiancé. But instead of the words I feared, she said something that completely caught me off, guard.

"Your ring," she breathed out, her eyes glued to the diamond. "It’s beautiful."

I looked at her, utterly taken aback. "Meera, I’m—"

She quickly cut me off, releasing my hand. "It’s okay. We should eat first, and we’ll talk later."

"Okay," I agreed, completely flustered.

We finished the meal in an uneasy silence, interrupted only by the soft, comforting murmurs of the nanny. Even before the plates were cleared, the day’s excitement and the warmth of the house had taken their toll on Liam. He nibbled just a little of the light meal before his eyelids drooped, and his breathing slowly evened out.

The nanny moved to carry him, but he immediately protested, even in his sleep, burrowing deeper into my chest.

Meera watched for a moment, then her expression softened. "He won’t let go of you right now. You should stand carefully and carry him to bed yourself."

I did that. I slowly stood, cradling my sleeping son, feeling the immense, fragile weight of him. I carried him to my room and carefully laid him down in the portable crib the nanny had set up. After watching him for a minute, I stepped back outside.

I found Meera waiting in the living room, the nanny discreetly occupying the kitchen. She looked up at me, and I braced for whatever commentary was coming.

"Zayn," she said, her voice calm and measured. "I see the ring. Congratulations on your engagement to Evric. Now I understand why you chose him."

I looked at her, searching her eyes for sarcasm, but found none.

She took a deep breath, her eyes dropping to her hands. "Zayn," she said again, her voice almost strained. Then she looked up, meeting my gaze. "I realize I was wrong. I was rude... completely unfair."

My heart raced again, but this time not from fear. Meera was genuinely doing something I had thought impossible.

"I am truly, sincerely sorry for insulting you, for calling you names, and for everything I said—especially about Evric," she continued, her voice steadying with genuine sincerity. "I was unbearably rude to him. I would be very grateful if you could let me meet him before we leave, so I can apologize to him in person."

"Meera," I said, her name barely a sound on my lips, my mind reeling.

She shook her head, stopping me. "Please, don’t feel sorry for me. I know exactly what I did. The truth is, I never intended to actually come back with you. My plane ticket was booked, and my plans were already set."

She paused, glancing toward the room where Liam slept. "But after the DNA test confirmed you were Liam’s father... I just wanted, selfishly, to stay close to you for a little while before I left." A small, sad smile tugged at her lips. "I accept that you love Evric. I can see the effort you both put into each other, how much you love him, and how much he loves you. You truly deserve each other."

The apology, the acceptance, and the sudden honesty felt like a physical weight lifted from my shoulders. It was the closure I never knew I needed.

Meera held my gaze, a quiet plea softening her features. "Zayn... please find it in your heart to forgive me. And if you’re willing, I would really appreciate the chance to meet Evric. I want to make things right with him too."

I smiled, a calm settling over me that I hadn’t expected. "Meera, I was never angry with you. Honestly, your behavior surprised me, but it’s alright. You recognized what you did, and you apologized. That’s what truly matters."

Then I thought about her request to see Evric. I knew how much he wanted to meet Liam, and how much he deserved that apology. But I also knew he’d been carrying a lot lately.

"For Evric," I said gently, "I don’t want to call him back here today. He hasn’t really had time to breathe lately." I knew how devoted he was. "If I ask him to come, he’ll come without hesitation. But I don’t want to burden him."

A thought struck me, and my mood lifted. "Maybe later this evening? I can take you to Evric’s house. And honestly... he would be happy to meet Liam before you leave."

I looked at her hopefully. "You don’t mind coming with me, right?"

Meera nodded without hesitation, a quiet relief settling over her face. "Not at all. I’ll go with you.

We kept the conversation light after that. Meera told me about her plans, her new job, the country she was relocating to, and assured me that I could always fly over to see Liam. She promised she would make it easy for me anytime I wanted to spend time with him. It was surprisingly calm and mature, almost unreal compared to everything we’d been through.

Then, she stood up and walked to her bag. She brought out a document she had prepared before coming to my house.

"Zayn," she said, handing me the paper. "This is your parental rights document. I’ve taken care of everything. Once you sign it, you’ll have full legal rights as Liam’s father, including custody, travel, and decision-making. Everything is included."

I stared at her, my heart thumping. "And what if I sign it... and tell you not to take Liam with you? What...?"

She cut me off before I could finish. "Then I won’t take him. Any decision you make is final. This applies only to Liam."

I stared at the paper, tears blurring my vision. This was it—the final, legal confirmation. I couldn’t believe Meera had actually gone this far, taking every step to make things right, granting me full fatherly rights without a single argument.

"Meera," I whispered, profoundly thankful.

Without thinking twice, I picked up a pen and, feeling the weight of the future, I signed the document.

Meera watched me for a moment, then her smile returned. "Mind if I take a photo of you holding the signed document? Just to have proof that it’s official."

I nodded, my chest swelling with pride, and took the required photograph.

After the papers were finalized, evening had settled in. I carefully lifted Liam and secured him into his car seat, making sure he was comfortable. Meera took the passenger seat, while the nanny quietly settled into the back. The four of us set off toward the grand gates of Evric’s mansion.

The drive was silent, filled with anticipation. I parked near the front steps, my hands shaking slightly.

I gently lifted Liam from his car seat, cradling him against my chest. Meera and the nanny followed me up the grand steps.

I reached for the doorbell, but before my finger could touch the button, the massive front door swung open.

And there they were.