Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 128: A Father’s Promise

Ashton’s small hands rested lightly on the blanket. His blue eyes, so much like Evander’s, darted toward his father, searching his face carefully. His tiny lips parted slightly as if hesitating to speak, but finally, he voiced the question weighing on his mind.

"Y-You’re not mad?" His voice was small, uncertain.

Evander, who was crouched beside the bed, smiled softly. He reached out, ruffling Ashton’s messy hair with his large hand. "Why would I be mad?" His voice was, warm, filled with nothing but patience.

Ashton hesitated again. He lowered his gaze, his little fingers fidgeting with the hem of his pajama shirt. His shoulders rose slightly as if bracing himself for something. Then, barely above a whisper, he confessed, "Because... I don’t want a sibling."

Evander tilted his head slightly, observing his son. He could see the conflict in Ashton’s expression—the way his lips pressed together in hesitation, the way his shoulders slumped as if carrying a weight too heavy for his small frame.

Gently, Evander ran his fingers through Ashton’s soft hair, his touch reassuring. "Are you afraid that if you had a sibling, we wouldn’t love you anymore?"

Ashton’s head lowered further, and after a few seconds, he gave a small nod.

A soft sigh escaped Evander’s lips. He had expected this. He cupped the side of Ashton’s face, lifting it just enough so their eyes could meet. "That won’t happen," he promised. "We will love you just as much as we do now, even if a sibling comes."

Ashton’s lips trembled slightly before he blurted out, "But you’ll love the new sibling more than me later!" His voice cracked with emotion, and he quickly looked away as if ashamed of his own words.

Evander’s brows knitted together slightly, but not in frustration—in understanding. He knew that kind of fear. He had lived it once himself.

"You know, when I was little," Evander began, his voice calm and even, "I felt the same way."

Ashton blinked up at him, curiosity flickering in his young eyes. "You did?" he asked, his voice small.

Evander nodded. "When Uncle Julian was born, I thought Grandpa and Grandma would stop caring about me. I was so afraid they would only love Uncle Julian and forget about me."

Ashton’s tiny brows furrowed, clearly trying to imagine a younger version of his father feeling the same way he did now. "But... they didn’t forget you?" he asked hesitantly.

A smile tugged at the corners of Evander’s lips. "No," he said, shaking his head. "In fact, their love for me didn’t lessen at all. If anything, it grew bigger."

Ashton’s frown deepened, his young mind struggling to comprehend what his father meant. "How can it grow bigger?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion.

Evander chuckled softly and gently tapped Ashton’s tiny nose with his finger. "Love isn’t something that runs out, Ash," he explained. "It’s not like a toy or a piece of candy that gets smaller when you share it. Love is like..." He paused for a moment, searching for the right words, then smiled as the perfect example came to him. "Love is like a flame."

Ashton blinked. "A flame?"

Evander nodded. "Imagine you have a single candle, and that candle represents my love for you."

Ashton listened intently, his small hands now gripping the blanket as he hung onto his father’s words.

"Now, let’s say we light another candle with the first one," Evander continued. "Does the first candle lose any of its flame?"

Ashton’s eyes widened slightly, realization dawning on him. "No... it stays the same."

"Exactly," Evander said, smiling. "And now, there are two flames instead of one, both burning just as brightly. That’s how love works. When Julian was born, my parents didn’t take any love away from me to give to him. Instead, their hearts grew, just like a flame spreading its light without losing its own glow."

Ashton was quiet for a moment, his tiny brows knitted together as he processed everything. His small fingers curled against the blanket, his lips pursed in deep thought. Evander watched him patiently, giving him all the time he needed.

After a long pause, Ashton slowly lifted his head. A small smile played on his lips—hesitant, but there. "I think... I don’t have a problem with having a sibling," he finally said.

Evander chuckled, his chest filling with warmth. Without hesitation, he pulled Ashton into a tight embrace, holding him close. "That’s my boy," he murmured against his son’s soft hair.

Ashton giggled and wrapped his tiny arms around Evander’s neck. The warmth of his father’s embrace soothed away the last of his lingering fears.

For a moment, everything felt perfect. Evander closed his eyes, relishing in the simple joy of holding his son. He could feel Ashton’s heartbeat against his chest, small and steady, a reminder of just how much he loved this little boy.

But then, something tugged at his thoughts, something he had been meaning to talk about. What had felt light just seconds ago now carried a heavier weight.

Evander exhaled softly and loosened his hold. He pulled back slightly, just enough to look Ashton in the eyes. The smile had faded from his lips, replaced by something more solemn.

Ashton, sensing the shift, blinked up at him. "Daddy?"

Evander hesitated for a second before taking a slow breath. "Ashton," he said carefully, his voice lower now, more serious.

Ashton straightened a little. "Yes?"

Evander studied his son’s innocent face, knowing what he was about to say would change things. But he couldn’t keep this from him any longer. He had to ask.

Gently, he reached for Ashton’s small hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before finally speaking.

"Do you want to meet your mother?"

Silence fell between them, the air suddenly heavier than before.

Ashton’s breath hitched, his little fingers tightening around Evander’s hand. His gaze was filled with emotions he couldn’t put into words as he looked at Evander.

And just like that, the world around them seemed to pause.