A Secret Birthright

Fareed hugged her into him, unable to bear her losses, the gratitude that she’d survived it all, that he’d found her.

His father approached, his steps not completely steady. “I was only stating facts when I mentioned your pending adoption.…”

Fareed cut him off. “Adoption or not, I will fight you, and I will win.”

His father looked at Gwen. “Will you hold your dragon of a husband back?”

Gwen stared at him. Fareed did, too. A shaken king was unbelievable enough. An indulgent one had to be a hallucination.

His father exhaled. “I came here to negotiate, and that’s why Emad let me come. But I won’t now. Not because I believe you would triumph over me in any fight, Fareed. And not because I’ve learned a lesson I’ll never recover from with Hesham. It’s because seeing you together, talking to Gwen and meeting Ryan has changed everything. Gwen has given me a reason to live again with her forgiveness, on her own behalf and that of Hesham and her sister. I’m not losing this reason or more of my flesh and blood to the demands of duty and pride.” He placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “You are Ryan’s mother, Gwen. I will swear to that to the world, starting with the Aal Durrah. Ryan will be your heir, Fareed. While I only want to remain part of your lives, if you would have me.”

Fareed gaped at him. He’d never…ever…

His stupefaction was interrupted by another surprise.

Gwen threw herself at his father, clung around his neck, reiterating, “Thank you, thank you.”

His father was as taken aback. It took him long moments before he brought his shock under control and hugged her back.

At last he put her at arm’s length, looked down at her. “You are all heart, aren’t you? But you don’t have to accept me. Your husband can get me off your backs permanently if he so wishes.”

Her smile trembled up at him. “I don’t want him to. And Ryan doesn’t either. He wants his grandfather. He…recognized you, like he recognized Fareed.”

“He was far more eager with me,” Fareed protested.

His father dared placate him. “Of course he was. He knows his priorities, recognized you’d be the one who would be constantly present in his life and therefore in need of more intensive…humoring.”

Fareed harrumphed. “With all due respect, Father…”

His father suddenly laughed. “I think you left it too late to even mention respect where I’m concerned, Fareed.”

“Fine, we won’t mention it. But even though I am thankful for your change of heart—make that flabbergasted by it, not to mention distressed that I have to revise my opinion of you, and of my whole life, and we do have to discuss the past, present and future down to the last detail later—please, go away now.”

The king went away. Eventually. After the dinner Gwen had invited him to.

She was sorry she had. Not because it didn’t turn out to be beyond her wildest expectations. It was because Fareed constantly looked about to explode with wanting him gone.

He didn’t, thankfully, but he kept prodding him with demands to eat faster. He even cut up his food so he’d finish it sooner.

Now everyone was gone. She was alone with Fareed.

She wanted to do one thing. Beg. His forgiveness.

Before she found the words, he said, “Tell me. Everything.”

Everything was made of one simple statement. “Lyn was with me during that conference party.”

He looked at her as if he was revisualizing the past. It was as intense a gaze as what had mesmerized her during that conference. And changed her life forever.

“And Hesham was with me. I walked out, but he stayed behind, approached her.”

She nodded. “I didn’t notice much that night, but she told me later it was love at first sight.”

“And the rest is history.”

She had nothing to add. Not about this. But she had so much to say about everything else.

Words rushed under pressure. “I never dreamed your father could be this way. Hesham and Lyn made me dread him so much I…”

He waved away her explanations. “You had every right to expect the worst. I myself can’t believe what happened still, am wondering if he’s biding his time until he can pull something.”

“I know he won’t. But I wanted to be the one to tell you the whole truth, and…I left it too late.”

The weight of his gaze increased. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She’d probably lose everything answering him. She probably had already. But whatever happened, she owed him a full confession. “I believed I’d just pass through your life, and I’d be risking losing Ryan by revealing my weaker claim to him, weaker than yours, let alone your father’s. I did trust you, but I thought if you knew, your father eventually would. But I should have told you. You married me because I didn’t. I was still hoping that my adoption would come through and the marriage would serve its purpose. But we now know Ryan will be safe, so the marriage no longer serves any purpose. Now you can…end it.”

His eyes had been flaring and subsiding like fanned coals. Now they went almost black. “I gave you the essmuh.”

“Then…take it back.”

“It doesn’t work that way. Only you can end it now.”

So this was it. Moment of truth. He would have never chosen to be her husband. But he would remain in this non-marriage for Ryan’s sake or if she didn’t release him.

“H-how do I do that?”

“You just tell me. The rest is just paperwork. It’s the words, the intention, that are binding.”

She looked at him. The only man she’d ever or would ever love. She’d be forever empty when he left her life. But she’d be destroyed if she clung to him when he didn’t reciprocate.

And she let go. “I…end it.”

Gwen closed Ryan’s nursery door lost in dark musings.

Would he miss her if she left? Did he even need her anymore? Now that he had Fareed, his grandfather and an extensive family to love and cherish him? Or was she the one who needed him? He who was everything she had left to live for?

Fareed was probably realizing this now. That her role in Ryan’s life had been as temporary as it had been in his. She’d protected him until she’d delivered him into the hands of those capable of giving him the love and life he deserved.

But knowing Fareed, out of kindness, he wouldn’t say anything. He hadn’t said anything as she’d given him back his freedom. But he must have welcomed it. Chivalry and honor aside, he’d probably welcome her disappearance from his life completely, would prefer not to have her in it through their connection to Ryan.