Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Miles Can’t Keep Us Apart
~Evric’s POV~
How could I not know something this important?
The thought stabbed deep, twisting inside me. Maybe Zayn doesn’t truly see me as his other half... Because if he did, how could he keep something this serious from me? A darker fear rose, heavier than I wanted to admit, I imagined if I had been the one to buy that food, insisting stubbornly that he eat it. What if... something like this happened?
The image clawed at my chest, stealing my breath. The thought of losing him that way, knowing it would have been my fault... I would regret it for the rest of my life. It could have been me.
It hurt. Not just a little. It tore at me. I’ve always thought I knew every piece of him because I love him. And yet, here was something so important, his health, his life, and I didn’t even know.
As we stayed on the video call, I tried to hide the pain in my eyes, but he knew. He always knew. And the truth was, I couldn’t hide it, because I love Zayn too much for things like this to stay hidden.
When things finally calmed down, he looked at me, his eyes heavy, and whispered, "Evric... I’m sorry. I understand what’s going through your mind right now. But I’m sorry."
I stared at him, my chest taut. "Babe, I’m your boyfriend. Do you even realize how finding out something like this feels in my heart?"
"I’m sorry," he repeated softly.
"I don’t want your apology," I said, my voice coarser than I meant. "I want you to feel how much it hurts me. I keep saying I love you. You keep saying you love me. But how can you keep something so important away from me?"
He lowered his head. "Evric, listen. I was going to tell you anyway."
"When, Zayn? When?" The question cracked out before I could stop it.
I sighed. "Can you do one thing for me and not refuse? Promise me you won’t say no."
He looked at me carefully, his voice low but steady. "I’ll do anything... as long as you’re not shutting me out. Just tell me."
I left him no chance to object. "I’ll call my driver now. He’s going to pick you up. Until I come back, you are not allowed to stay overnight in your house. If you need anything from there, fine... go pick it up... then you go back to my place. That’s where you’ll stay. You can run your restaurant, I won’t stop you, but you will not stay home alone. Not anymore."
His eyes softened, a little teary, but he nodded. "Okay."
"So?" I pressed. "Should my driver come pick you up or not?"
He paused only a second before answering, "He should come... but babe..." His voice cracked faintly. "Look at me. Are you angry with me?"
I exhaled, looking at him for a long moment, all my love and frustration warring inside me. Finally, I only said, "I’ll call you again. Let me call my driver."
And with that, I ended the call, my chest still burning.
"No, no, no..." I muttered, my chest strained. "I love Zayn more than just what I heard now. I’m pained, pained that I thought I knew everything, but it turns out I don’t." I paused, my hand shaking as I called my driver and told him to go pick Zayn up, then update me once he got there.
When I dropped the phone, I turned to Mr. Karl. Even though he was busy working, I knew he had heard pieces of my conversation with Zayn. My voice cracked as I asked, "Do you think I’m being unfair to him?" Tears stung my eyes.
Karl looked at me, at first saying nothing. His silence made me restless.
"We’re talking about his health, Karl. Something this important... and he never told me."
Karl set his pen down and looked at me calmly, almost fatherly. "Evric, it’s not unfair. You’re worried, and rightly so. If anything, it shows how deeply you love him. Maybe Zayn thought he could handle it on his own, or maybe he didn’t want to worry you. People hide things they fear might burden the ones they love."
I looked at him, my voice low, sharp. "How can anything related to Zayn burden me?" I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "But it hurts, Karl. I’m supposed to be the one protecting him. What if I had been the one to buy him the food? What if I forced him to eat? He could’ve... I paused. and I’d never forgive myself."
Karl’s eyes muffled, though his tone stayed firm. "Then don’t think about what could have happened. Think about what you’ll do now. If you want Zayn to open up, you have to show him you’re the kind of man he can lean on fully. Not just with love, but with the hard truths too."
I dropped my gaze, my throat tense. His words stung because they were true. "Hearing this scared me. Karl."
He gave a diminutive nod. "Then make sure he knows that. Not through anger, but through care. If you protect him with love, he won’t hide from you again."
I exhaled slowly, letting the tension in my chest ease just a little. Karl’s words kept echoing in my mind: "Protect him with love, not anger." That’s exactly what I had to do. No more letting fear or frustration take over. I needed to be the kind of partner Zayn could fully trust.
Not long after, my phone buzzed, my driver letting me know he had dropped Zayn off. Relief flooded me. I didn’t call him immediately; I let him settle, knowing he needed a moment after what happened.
Once I was sure he was comfortable, I called him on video. His face appeared on the screen, tired but safe, and a subtle sigh escaped me, relief washing over me.
"Babe," he greeted softly, his voice still a little worn from earlier.
"We have a lot to talk about when I get back," I said, keeping my tone calm, careful not to sound angry.
He nodded slightly, swallowing whatever worry lingered. "Okay... I’m sorry," he murmured.
I shook my head gently, "It’s okay. I wasn’t angry, just... pained. Anything about you, Zayn, is important to me. Everything about you is what I want to know. So please... don’t keep anything from me, okay?"
He gave a diminutive nod. "Okay."
"Now, you should sleep," I added, my voice softening.
"I love you, Zayn," I cooed, feeling the need to make sure he knew how much he mattered.
"I love you, Evric," he replied, warmth in his tone smoothing away the tension.
After I told him goodnight, I ended the call. The screen went dark, and suddenly the room felt emptier, just me and the quiet hum of the city outside my window. Karl had just finished the work I asked him to do and quietly left my room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I missed Zayn, more than I expected. If only I were closer tonight, this night could have been perfect. I could’ve held him in my arms, felt his warmth, breathed him in, and not let him go. I could make him feel safe, let him know he doesn’t have to cry alone. I could be his everything. I love my man so much.
I shook the thoughts aside and called Zayn back, and after a few rings, he picked up. His voice was soft, almost groggy, like he hadn’t been able to sleep, or maybe he’d been waiting for me to call back.
"Babe..." he murmured.
"Shh," I said gently. "Put your phone somewhere. I want to watch you fall asleep."
There was a slight pause, then a quiet, "Okay..." and I could see him settling in, the fuzzy light of the room casting shadows over his face. My heart filled with love as I watched him relax, just knowing I could be there, even through the screen, made my heart swell.