Chapter 13 The Secret Becomes Public #3
He didn't want to give strangers details about how they met.
He didn't want to explain the age difference.
He didn't want to discuss Richard.
He didn't want to turn their love into a publicity strategy.
He simply wanted the truth.
"The statement should be short."
Martin prepared to type.
"Go ahead."
Nathaniel spoke slowly.
"I am aware of the photograph and the public discussion surrounding it."
Martin typed.
"The man pictured with me is Evan Brooks."
Nathaniel paused.
"He is the man I love."
Martin's fingers stopped.
The room became completely silent.
Nathaniel continued.
"He is also the father of my child."
Martin looked up.
"Do you want to say that directly?"
"Yes."
The legal adviser shifted in his chair.
"That will confirm the pregnancy."
"The photograph already did."
"We could avoid that detail."
"I won't hide him behind carefully chosen language."
Martin looked uncertain.
"What about the rest?"
Nathaniel shook his head.
"Nothing else."
"No explanation?"
"No."
"No timeline?"
"No."
"No discussion of your relationship?"
"No private details."
Martin nodded slowly.
Nathaniel continued.
"Evan didn't choose to have his photograph taken."
His voice hardened.
"He didn't choose the attention that followed."
He looked around the room.
"So we won't use his personal life to protect my professional image."
Nobody spoke.
Nathaniel sat back down.
"Send me the final wording before anything goes out."
Martin nodded.
"I will."
Nathaniel stood again.
"And one more thing."
Everyone looked at him.
"If anyone contacts the company asking for Evan's personal information, they get nothing."
"Understood."
"His address."
"Of course."
"His workplace."
"Understood."
"His medical information."
Martin nodded.
"Nothing."
Nathaniel's voice became quieter.
"And nobody contacts him directly on behalf of this company."
The room remained silent.
"Is that clear?"
Everyone agreed.
Nathaniel left the conference room.
He didn't feel relieved.
He knew what he had done.
The statement would make the situation larger.
There would be more headlines.
More questions.
More opinions.
There would probably be people who criticized him.
There would be people who criticized Evan.
There would be people who believed the relationship was wrong because of the age difference.
There would be people who assumed they knew why Evan had chosen him.
Nathaniel couldn't control any of that.
But he could control one thing.
He would not become another person who denied Evan's place in his life.
He returned home before noon.
Evan was sitting on the sofa, staring at his phone.
He looked up when Nathaniel entered.
"You were gone a long time."
"I had meetings."
Evan's expression tightened.
"About the photograph?"
"Yes."
Evan put his phone down.
"What are they asking you to do?"
Nathaniel sat beside him.
"They wanted me to distance myself from you."
Evan went still.
"What?"
"They suggested a statement."
"What kind?"
"One that described you as a private acquaintance."
Evan stared at him.
"And?"
"I refused."
Evan's eyes searched his face.
"What did you say?"
Nathaniel took his hand.
"I told them I won't hide you."
Evan's eyes filled with emotion.
"Nathaniel."
"I won't give them your private life."
He squeezed Evan's hand.
"But I won't pretend you don't exist."
Evan swallowed.
"What did you tell them?"
Nathaniel looked into his eyes.
"That you're the man I love."
Evan's lips parted.
"And that you're the father of my child."
Nathaniel nodded.
Evan stared at him for several seconds.
"Why?"
Nathaniel smiled faintly.
"Because it's true."
Evan looked down.
"You know this is going to make things worse."
"Maybe."
"You could have protected yourself."
"Maybe."
"You could have protected your company."
"Maybe."
Evan looked back at him.
"Then why didn't you?"
Nathaniel reached up and touched his cheek.
"Because protecting myself by erasing you wouldn't be protection."
Evan's eyes filled with tears.
Nathaniel leaned closer.
"I love you."
Evan closed his eyes.
"And I'm not ashamed of that."
He kissed Evan's forehead.
"But loving you doesn't give me the right to tell the world everything about you."
Evan opened his eyes.
"So you'll protect my privacy."
"Always."
"But you won't hide me."
"Never."
Evan breathed out slowly.
For the first time since the photograph appeared, some of the pressure in his chest eased.
He still didn't know what the world would say.
He still didn't know what his father would do.
He still didn't know how far the story would spread.
But Nathaniel had made his choice.
He had chosen honesty without sacrificing Evan's privacy.
He had chosen love without turning Evan into publicity.
And when the statement was finally released that afternoon, it contained no scandalous details, no explanation, and no attempt to manufacture sympathy.
Only the truth.
Evan Brooks was the man Nathaniel loved.
He was the father of Nathaniel's child.
And Nathaniel would not pretend otherwise.
For the first time, their relationship was no longer a secret.
It was theirs.
And now the world knew it existed.
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