Chapter 16 #3
“Let me leave you with this. Don’t ever speak on Kyns or my nephew like that again.
That little boy is more loved in just five months than some people experience in five years.
So, all that ‘bastard baby’ talk?” he shook his head slowly, as if dismissing a dangerous idea.
“Yeah, check that shit immediately. And no, that’s not a threat.
That’s me politely informing you that you have exactly one more time to play with somebody I love before this big-ass house becomes an address I never forget.
And unlike you, I’m excellent at remembering the things that matter. ”
His gaze dropped to the numbers beside the door, lingering there long enough to wipe the last trace of smugness from Elaine’s face.
“Von,” I warned tiredly.
Von sighed dramatically. “Well, it looks like we’ve overstayed our welcome, which is interesting, because I don’t remember feeling welcomed at any point. Enjoy the rest of your evening. Maybe sit by the fireplace and thaw out whatever is frozen inside both of y’all.”
Before they could respond, Von was already walking down the steps beside me.
The cold air hit my face instantly again, but somehow it felt easier to breathe now that we were leaving.
As we left behind a speechless Elaine and Quincy, Von gently opened the car door for me.
I climbed in carefully, settling me and Mysun in.
“Bastard baby?” Von grumbled as he settled into the front seat. “She’s lucky I was trying to be civilized today, because trust me, that little porch speech was the edited version.”
He yanked the seat belt across his chest and started the engine.
“The uncut version would’ve had her searching for a therapist before we made it out the driveway,” he continued, still ranting as he pulled away from the house.
Shaking his head with theatrical regret, he glanced at Mysun through the rearview mirror.
“Sorry, nephew. Your uncle let the old him clock in for a brief shift. I’m supposed to lead by example, but instead, I led by insult.” He sighed heavily. “In my defense, that woman made personal growth feel extremely optional.”
Despite everything, a small laugh bubbled up from within me, though as soon as we pulled away, the tears I had been holding back broke free completely.
“Kyns! Oh, hell!” Von exclaimed, clearly taken aback by my sudden shift in demeanor.
“I’m okay,” I sobbed, though my voice clearly contradicted my claim.
Mysun began to fuss softly at the sound of my crying, which in turn made me cry harder.
Von looked stressed as hell from the front seat.
“Kyns, why are you crying, boo? ‘Cause now I’m getting mad all over again and probably about to turn this car around!”
I shook my head fervently. “Don’t.”
“Okay… but only because you said not to.”
He glanced at me through the rearview mirror, visibly irritated but worried.
“You know I hate seeing you cry over folks who aren’t worth your tears.
You gave them a chance. That’s more grace than most people manage to muster after being hurt for years.
And for the record? Mysun is going to grow up knowing he’s loved…
fully loved, for exactly who he is. Not only when he performs well or only when he makes people look good...
just loved because he exists. That already means you’re doing better than a whole lot of folks raising kids out here. ”
Mysun stirred softly against my chest. I stared down at him quietly while gently rubbing his back, reflecting on how much I had endured over the last two years.
After spotting Merge at the hotel that day, a part of me had wanted to reach out to him a day or two after I figured he’d calmed down… but life had begun to unravel faster than I could keep up with.
Not long after that chaotic moment, Von’s mother passed away unexpectedly. One minute she was there, fussing at us about eating enough and reminding us to put socks on Mysun… and just like that, she was gone. Losing her almost destroyed Von. Then, somehow, life got even worse.
A man at the bar accused Von of poisoning his drink after getting sick in the parking lot. Of course, it turned into a whole dramatic mess because the guy happened to be some bitter ex of his. The owner panicked, wanted no problems, and let Von go almost immediately.
After that, everything shifted fast.
Grief.
Stress.
Bills.
And through all of it, Von needed me more than ever.
So, every time I thought about reaching out to Merge, it started feeling impossible.
I didn’t have the emotional capacity to deal with both situations at once.
One man was grieving his mother while barely holding himself together, and the other was a billionaire capable of changing my entire life with one phone call.
That felt overwhelming, especially because deep down, I already knew contacting Merge would change everything, whether for the good or bad.
But now, my income was the only thing barely keeping us afloat.
Bills were stacking faster than I could pay them, and after that day, it was painfully obvious I would never have my adoptive parents’ support again… not that I wanted it.
Be that as it may, reality was reality, and no matter how prideful I tried to be, I had a child to think about. Mysun deserved stability. Even if I ended up homeless, one thing I felt truly in my heart was that Merge Belvior would never let his son struggle.