[BL] CRAVING HIM: Addicted to His Voice-Chapter 373: Forgiveness Is the Hardest Word
~Zayn’s POV~
As soon as we stepped out of the car, the grand front doors swung open. Evric’s mother was already there, her face lighting up with a radiant, genuine joy the moment she spotted us.
"You’re finally here!" she exclaimed, rushing down the steps with a grace that matched her son’s.
"Mother," Evric greeted, catching her in a brief hug, but she immediately turned her attention to me.
"Zayn, my dear," she said, her eyes shimmering as she took both of my hands in hers. She pulled me into a warm, fragrant embrace. "I have missed you so much!"
Once we settled inside the grand living room, she began to tease me about how I hadn’t visited since our last trip. I apologized profusely, explaining how busy things had been. She waved it off with a kind smile. "It’s okay, dear. I’m just glad you’re here now."
Evric’s father emerged behind her, a quiet pride lighting his face. "We’re both so happy to see you," he said, his voice calm and steady. "Seeing the two of you together, after everything you’ve been through... It’s hard to believe the wedding is almost here. I’m genuinely proud of you both."
The warmth of their welcome washed away my remaining nerves. It didn’t feel like a formal visit to a powerful dynasty; it felt like coming home.
Later, when we went upstairs to settle into Evric’s old room, he immediately pulled me into a hug. "Don’t forget our little business," he murmured, reminding me of the list he wanted me to present to his father.
Later, when we went upstairs to settle into Evric’s old room, he immediately pulled me into a hug, his arms tightening around me. "Don’t forget our little business," he murmured, a gentle reminder about the list he wanted me to give his father.
I leaned into him, a soft smile tugging at my lips. "I’ll try to make it seem completely natural."
"Good," he said, pressing a kiss to my temple. "And remember, we’re getting nothing but the finest suits for this wedding. After we leave here, we’ll go straight to the atelier for our first fitting, only the best for us."
I smiled and nodded, my voice soft with affection. "Okay, baby. I’ll leave everything to you."
That evening, we shared a warm, beautiful dinner. Evric’s father asked about my dad’s health, and I was glad to tell him he was doing much better.
"That’s wonderful news," he said, genuine relief and happiness clear in his voice.
The weekend was perfect, I felt truly welcomed, completely embraced by his family. Before we left, I finally gathered the courage to hand the list and budget to Evric’s father, just as he had asked. He glanced over the paper, then looked up at me, a knowing smile slowly spreading across his lips.
"Zayn," he said dryly, "this was definitely not written by you."
I started to stammer an explanation, but he lifted a hand to stop me, laughing softly. "It’s fine," he said warmly. "I’ll approve every single thing your partner requested through you. Consider it all settled."
I smiled and bowed my head in gratitude. "Thank you, sir."
After exchanging our farewells, we proceeded directly to the tailor’s atelier for our fitting. The suits were already exquisite, immaculately cut and crafted from the finest fabric, but for Evric, excellence was never enough without perfection. He calmly noted a few precise refinements, subtle adjustments to the lines and proportions to achieve an even sharper silhouette. Only once he was satisfied that every detail would be executed flawlessly did we leave, returning home with the quiet confidence that nothing less than perfection would be delivered.
"My friends have been relentless," Evric said casually as he drove. "They want to throw us a party before the wedding."
"You mean a bachelor party?" I asked, glancing at him.
"Yes, a stag party," he confirmed with a small smile. "Since everyone will already be in town a day or two before the ceremony, they’re planning something grand." He paused, then looked at me. "What do you think?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞
"That’s actually a great idea," I said with a smile. "My friends have been suggesting the same thing. It would be nice to have one last wild night with everyone before everything changes."
We kept talking and laughing the entire drive home, the anticipation of our life together building with every mile we left behind.
~Nantam’s POV~
I stepped out of the bedroom, my head heavy with the lingering tension of the past few days. When I reached the living room, I found Evans on the phone. He was speaking in a tone so low and calm, so intimate, that it made my blood run cold.
I stood there, watching him. He was actually smiling at whatever the person on the other end was saying. The moment he realized I was behind him, the smile vanished. He muttered a quick "I’ll call you back later" and hung up.
"Babe, you’re awake," he said, trying to sound casual.
"Yes, as you can see," I replied, my voice dripping with ice.
He didn’t react to my sharp tone, which only irritated me more. "Who was that?" I demanded.
"Just a friend, Nan," he answered simply.
"Oh? Is this ’friend’ trying to organize another orgy party?"
Evans let out a long, weary sigh, rubbing his face with his hand. "Not again. Not this morning, please. It’s just..."
"It’s just what? Finish the sentence!" I snapped, crossing my arms.
"I’m not doing this with you again today," he said, his voice flat. He looked exhausted, but I didn’t care. I wanted him to feel the same burning restlessness I felt.
"Why? Are you tired of me already?" I followed him as he grabbed his phone and started walking toward the bedroom. "Is that it? You want someone new? Someone who can handle you better than I can?"
"Nantam, stop," he warned, but he kept walking.
"Don’t walk out on me!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Don’t you dare walk out on me while I’m talking to you!"
Evans stopped in his tracks and spun around. "What else do you want me to do?!" he yelled back, his composure finally breaking. "What do I have to do for you to forgive me?"
"I don’t know!" I screamed. "I don’t know because I can’t get those messages out of my head! Every time I look at you, I see what you were doing behind my back!"
Evans shoved his phone toward me, holding it right in front of my face. "Then take it. Go through everything," he said. "I’m not doing anything wrong, Nan. I haven’t done anything wrong since that night, and yet, since then, you haven’t let me touch you even once. I’ve been trying every single day to make this right."
He stepped closer, his eyes wild with frustration. "I apologized last night. I tried to hold you, and what did you say? You said you were tired. You’ve been ’tired’ for weeks. You tell Zayn everything I do to you, but do you tell him that you’ve completely shut me out? Do you tell him you won’t even let me near you?"
"Don’t you get it?" I choked out, tears finally stinging my eyes. "Don’t you get why I can’t?"
"I get it!" Evans said, his voice dropping as emotion constricted his chest. "And I’m deeply sorry about that night, Nan."
"And every time you said something and I didn’t reply, it wasn’t because I didn’t want to talk to you or respond. I just didn’t know how to be angry without hurting you. I’m so sorry, Nan. I really am. Please... forgive me."
He walked the remaining distance between us, his shadow falling over me. He didn’t reach for me this time; he just stood there, looking defeated. "I know what happened should have never happened in the first place. I know I destroyed the one thing we had."
"I trusted you," I murmured, the first tear sliding down my cheek. "And you broke it first."
"I know," he breathed. "And I’m so tired of hurting you."
Suddenly, Evans leaned forward, his forehead dropping onto my shoulder. His body began to tremble, and then I heard it, the sound of him breaking. He started to cry, deep, ragged sobs that shook his entire frame.
"Please," he wept into my shoulder, his hands clutching at my shirt. "Just please forgive me. I’m so sorry, Nan..."
