Destined to be with you (MXM)

Chapter1

I had been standing in front of the house for more than fifteen minutes, my palms slick with sweat and my legs trembling beneath me. My hands remained buried deep inside my hoodie pocket, tightly gripping my mother's letter, the same letter I had read countless times over the past few days, hoping its meaning would somehow change.

It never did.

Aurora Williams, my mother, had died only a few days ago after a long battle with late-stage blood cancer. For years, she had hidden her illness from me, suffering in silence while doing everything she could to give me a normal life. She was a single mother, and until recently, I had never known who my father was.

Now, the letter she left behind was the only thing guiding my future.

Fear settled heavily in my chest as I stared at the enormous house before me. The cool night breeze brushed against my skin, but it did little to calm the storm raging inside me.

What if he rejected me?

What if he laughed in my face?

What if my mother had been wrong all along?

A light tap on my shoulder pulled me from my thoughts.

I turned to find a tall, muscular guy standing behind me. He looked around my age, with tan skin and striking green eyes that seemed impossible to look away from.

For a moment, I forgot what I was supposed to say.

"Who are you?" he asked.

I swallowed hard.

"I'm Ethan Williams. I came to meet Edward Harrington."

His gaze swept over me from head to toe before he frowned.

"Then why are you standing out here? Come inside. I'm a friend of his son."

Relief washed through me.

Without his encouragement, I probably would have stayed frozen on that porch for another hour. Silently thanking God for sending someone to push me forward, I followed him.

As we walked, I found myself noticing everything about him. He was tall and athletic, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and effortless confidence. I wasn't sure why I felt so drawn to him. Maybe it was because I was overwhelmed and desperate for someone to guide me through this nightmare.

He glanced over his shoulder and motioned for me to keep up.

I followed my unexpected savior.

The moment he entered a security code and opened the gate, I realized just how wealthy Edward Harrington must be. The property wasn't simply a house.

It was a mansion.

My stomach twisted.

Someone this rich would never believe my story.

Why would he?

I was a seventeen-year-old stranger claiming to be his son.

The best I could hope for was a DNA test.

As we crossed the front garden, I couldn't help admiring the beautiful landscaping. A fountain sparkled beneath soft lights, and colorful hanging baskets swayed gently in the evening breeze.

One basket immediately caught my attention.

Pink petunias.

My mother's favorite flowers.

The memory brought a small smile to my face.

For the first time since arriving, I felt some of my fear fade away.

Maybe things wouldn't be completely terrible.

At the very least, I wouldn't be sleeping on the streets tonight or ending up in foster care.

When we entered the house, another young man appeared. He was just as tall and handsome as the green-eyed guy, except his eyes were a vivid blue.

The two bumped fists in greeting.

Then his attention shifted toward me.

His eyes narrowed instantly.

"Who's he?"

"He was outside waiting to meet your father," the green-eyed guy explained. "I didn't know what else to do, so I brought him in."

Your father.

So this was Edward Harrington's son.

I had expected as much.

There was no point delaying the inevitable.

"I'm Ethan Williams," I said quietly. "I came to meet Edward Harrington."

The blue-eyed boy's lips curved into an arrogant smirk.

I had a feeling his father might react the same way.

After all, who would believe a seventeen-year-old stranger claiming to be family?

Edward probably hadn't thought about my mother in years.

If he had truly cared about her, she wouldn't have spent the last eighteen years struggling alone.

"What do you want with my father?" he asked.

Each question felt like a needle against my skin.

"I'm from Wimberly," I said. "My mother passed away recently. I came here because I need help."

His expression didn't soften.

Not even a little.

"Where's your father?"

I glanced away.

There was no way I was handing over my mother's letter to him. If anyone deserved to read it, it was Edward himself.

"My father helps people like him all the time," the blue-eyed boy said, sounding annoyed. "I don't know what his problem is."

Maybe Edward was generous.

That didn't mean he'd accept me.

"Wait here," the blue-eyed guy finally said. "He should be home soon."

Then he looked at his friend.

"Come on. The others are waiting."

They walked away, leaving me standing awkwardly in the middle of the grand foyer.

Nobody offered me a seat.

A few housemaids glanced in my direction, whispering quietly among themselves.

I stared at the floor and waited.

A few minutes later, I heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway.

Footsteps followed.

I turned as several people entered the house.

Among them was a man who immediately captured my attention.

The moment his eyes landed on me, everything else seemed to disappear.

And suddenly I understood where my blue eyes had come from.

My mother had brown eyes.

Every feature I possessed came from her.

Except these.

"Do I know you?" he asked. "Justin said you wanted to see me."

My throat tightened.

For two weeks, I had held myself together through my mother's funeral, her burial, and every painful moment afterward.

Yet now, standing before the man who might be my father, tears threatened to spill.

I wanted to throw my arms around him.

I wanted to ask why he hadn't been there.

But I didn't have that right.

Instead, I pulled the letter from my pocket and handed it to him.

Without another word, he opened it and began reading.

As his eyes moved across the page, his expression changed.

Recognition.

Shock.

Pain.

His eyes became misty, mirroring my own.

The woman standing beside him noticed immediately.

"What is it?"

Edward looked up from the letter.

"This is Ethan Williams," he said quietly. "Aurora Williams' son... and my son."

Silence filled the room.

Everyone stared at me.

Shock, confusion, disbelief, anger.

I lowered my head.

I couldn't bear to look at any of them.

"Edward, do you really believe him?" the woman asked. "What if this is some kind of trap?"

"Eli," Edward said softly, "you know about Aurora and me. She disappeared years ago and moved to Wimberly. She never contacted me again."

His voice broke.

"The letter says she's dead. Cancer. And she says Ethan is my son."

He looked at me again.

"He has Aurora's face."

Then his gaze lingered on my eyes.

"And my eyes."

Eli sighed heavily.

"Justin, take Nathan upstairs."

"So he's my stepbrother now?" Justin asked bitterly. "And we're supposed to just accept him?"

His words were filled with venom.

I wasn't surprised.

This was exactly what I had expected.

Rejection.

Disapproval.

Resentment.

Then, to my complete shock, Edward stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me.

"Hi, Ethan."

The dam finally broke.

Tears streamed down my face as I clung to him.

For the first time in weeks, I felt safe.

I buried my face against his shoulder and inhaled shakily.

At least he hadn't rejected me.

"Edward," Eli said carefully, "I think we should do a DNA test."

I couldn't blame her.

I was a stranger.

Anyone would ask for proof.

Edward looked stunned.

"There's no need," he said. "I trust Aurora. She would never lie to me."

"Dad," Justin interrupted sharply, "we need the test."

I looked toward him and then at Nathan.

Nathan's calm green eyes were fixed on me, silently studying every reaction.

I took a deep breath.

"I'm okay with a DNA test."

The room fell silent again.

Nathan looked genuinely surprised.

But I had nothing to hide.

Nothing to lose.

Edward's expression softened.

For a moment, I thought I saw pride in his eyes.

Then he nodded.

"Okay."

Not long afterward, a housemaid showed me to a guest room.

The room alone was larger than the entire house my mother and I had lived in.

Yet despite the luxury surrounding me, loneliness settled heavily inside my chest.

I opened my bag and pulled out a photograph.

My mother's smile greeted me instantly.

In the picture, she was hugging me from behind on my twelfth birthday. We'd spent that day at an arcade, laughing and playing games for hours.

It had been the first time we'd gone.

And the last.

Things had never been the same afterward.

As I stared at the photo, I suddenly realized something.

I had forgotten to ask for my mother's letter back.

From Edward My father.

The thought felt strange.

I wasn't ready to call Edward "Dad."

Not yet.

For seventeen years, my world had been my mother and my best friend, John.

A knock sounded at the door.

A maid entered carrying a tray of food.

Behind her stood Edward.

"Let me know if you need anything, Ethan," he said gently.

His voice reminded me painfully of my mother.

His gaze fell on the photograph in my hands, but he didn't ask any questions.

"Thank you," I replied quietly. "And thank you for letting me stay here."

I placed the photo on the bedside table.

Edward gave me a small nod before leaving with the maid.

The room fell silent once again.

I lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

The food sat untouched beside me.

My mind replayed every moment of the day over and over again.

Meeting Edward.

Learning about Justin and Nathan.

Hearing the word son spoken aloud.

Finding a family I never knew existed.

Tomorrow would bring answers.

Maybe acceptance.

Maybe rejection.

As sleep slowly crept over me, one thought remained heavier than all the others.

For the first time in my life, I wasn't entirely alone anymore.