[BL] CRAVING HIM: Addicted to His Voice-Chapter 331: Choices and Conversations

~Zayn’s POV~

"Focus on your food for now, Zayn," Mom said softly, her tone firm underneath. "We need to talk once we’ve finished eating."

"Alright, Mom," I said, feeling a tight knot form in my stomach.

The rest of the meal was conducted in silence, punctuated only by the clinking of cutlery. I focused on eating, trying to gather my composure. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

As soon as the last plates were cleared, I followed my baby to the kitchen. He turned to me, a gentle smile on his face, the faint traces of last night’s exhaustion still lingering around his eyes.

"Babe, I’m going to head inside the bedroom for a bit," he said gently. "I have a few calls to make and some work to catch up on. I’ll be on my laptop, so if I’m not back in the living room right away, just know I’m tied up with work."

"Okay," I said, nodding, understanding that he needed to get back to his responsibilities.

Evric then turned to my mother. "Thank you so much for the wonderful breakfast, Mom. That was delicious."

"You’re very welcome, dear," she replied warmly.

He gave me a brief, affectionate glance, then gently turned and walked inside the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him. Now, it was just Mom and me.

Mom gestured to the sofa. "Come sit with me again, Zayn."

I followed her back to the living room and settled down beside her. She took my hand, holding it gently between both of hers. She was silent for a long moment, simply studying my face, and the silence felt heavier than any lecture.

Finally, she spoke, her voice low and measured. "I was so surprised, Zayn, when you called that night saying you would be visiting. Why did you come down so suddenly? Is everything truly alright? You know your visits are usually planned weeks."

"Everything is fine, Mom," I insisted, forcing a confident smile. "There’s nothing to worry about. We just missed you."

She squeezed my hand, her expression unwavering. "I don’t believe that, darling. There must be a reason."

The persistence in her eyes was familiar; I knew I couldn’t evade her. After a long moment of internal debate, I let out a heavy sigh, realizing she was right.

I took a deep breath. "It’s true, Mom," I admitted, my voice dropping. "There’s actually a reason why we came down so suddenly."

"What is it, son?" she asked softly.

I leaned in, checking that the bedroom door was still closed. "Evric’s been distracted for days. He finally told me what happened. My father reached out to him."

Mom’s eyes widened slightly. "Your father?"

I nodded grimly. "Evric said Dad went to his office unannounced and told him he wanted to meet with him."

Mom sighed, the sound heavy with years of unspoken history. She didn’t look surprised, only resigned. "I knew a day like this would surely come. After all these years..."

She turned back to me, her eyes filled with gentle wisdom. "You and Liana were still children when your father and I divorced, Zayn. For a long time, the pain was too fresh for him to be a steady presence in either of your lives. He made his choices, and I made mine. We both tried to protect our children in the only ways we knew how, even if we didn’t always get it right."

She squeezed my hand, offering reassurance. "I know this is a difficult moment. After all this time of silence, of him being essentially absent, the thought of contact can be overwhelming."

She paused, making sure I was paying attention. "But Zayn, you’re an adult now. You’re about to get married. This decision is entirely yours. You need to look into your own heart and ask yourself one honest question: do you want to meet him?"

"I won’t be the reason you hold yourself back," she said firmly. "Whatever issues your father and I had belong to us alone. They’re between him and me, not you. They don’t define who you are or the man you’ve grown into. If you feel even the slightest curiosity, the smallest pull, or a need for closure, then I won’t stand in your way. You deserve the right to make that choice for yourself."

She gently brushed a loose strand of hair from my forehead. "Think carefully, my son. Do you want to know him, or do you want to keep your distance? Whatever choice you make, you have my full support, and you have Evric as well. You don’t have to face this alone."

I sat there, overwhelmed by the quiet weight of her words. For so long, I had believed that door was shut tight, sealed by my mother’s pain and disappointment. But in that moment, I understood the truth: she hadn’t locked it at all. She had simply chosen her own peace by keeping her distance from him. And now, she was giving me the space to make my own choice.

I drew a long, shaky breath, the weight of that decision pressing hard against my chest. "Mom..." I said softly, my voice faltering as the words caught in my throat.

She looked at me calmly. "Yes, son?"

I hesitated, then asked, "Aren’t you angry that he’s only showing up now? That he didn’t come to you before...?"

She didn’t let me finish. She cut in gently but firmly, releasing my hand to emphasize her point. "There comes a time, Zayn, when you have to accept that everything happens for a reason."

She leaned back, her voice calm, almost philosophical. "If he’s only showing up now, it’s for his children, for you and Liana, not for me. And what would I gain by refusing, or by telling you not to see him? Nothing, except risking that you might meet him in secret, which would only breed secrecy and hurt."

I quickly shook my head, my loyalty absolute. "Mom, if you told me not to see him, I wouldn’t. I’ll never go against your word."

She gave me a knowing look, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "The reason you came to tell me about it, Zayn, isn’t because you wanted my permission to refuse him. It’s because you wanted to see him."

I fell silent. She’s right. In my heart, it was true: I really did want to meet him in person, if only to understand the history that shaped my life.

I finally met her gaze. "It’s true, Mom, I want to meet him, but..."

My mother gently interjected, her voice calm yet resolute. "There’s no ’but,’ Zayn. Just make your decision. That’s enough about this topic."

She leaned back slightly on the sofa, folding her hands in her lap. "Now that we’ve talked about your father, there’s something else we need to discuss."

I frowned, curiosity and unease mixing in my chest. "What else, Mom?" I asked, still processing the earlier conversation.

Her gaze sharpened, her expression serious. "We should talk about Meera and your son."

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. "How did you know that?" I stammered.

She didn’t hesitate. "Meera reached out to me."