A Secret Birthright - By Olivia Gates Page 0,56
that he’d felt dimming her spirit. She’d been mourning her sister. How had she died?
He hated to resurrect her pain, her loss. But he needed knowledge to stop his father’s incursion, especially now that he was using unexpected weapons.
He still almost retracted his question when mention of her sister reopened her wounds right before his eyes.
But she was already answering. “After the accident, they gave her only a preliminary exam. M-Marilyn was told she was fine. They discharged her to make room for those with obvious injuries. Hesham had already…” Her tears ran faster. “By the time I got to her she was deteriorating. I rushed her to another hospital, but she hung on only long enough to start my adoption of Ryan and give me her and Hesham’s last will. I knew everything already because I more or less shared their lives, moving everywhere when they did. I stayed even closer after I realized something was wrong with Ryan…”
“So you were the one who diagnosed him.”
A tear splashed on his hand, burning him through to his soul. “When he was four months old. But Hesham feared seeking you out.”
He rounded on his father, snarling, “That’s why you’re not coming near Ryan, Father. Because Hesham feared you so much he wouldn’t seek my help for his son, his own brother, the best-equipped to offer that help, until he was on his deathbed.”
His father ignored his wrath, addressing Gwen directly. “But your adoption of Ryan hasn’t been concluded yet.”
Fareed felt his head about to explode.
It almost did when Gwen said, “It’s still pending.” That imploring that compromised his sanity intensified. “That’s what I was trying to tell you. I expected you to find out when your legal team discovered I’m not the birth mother, and my adoption hasn’t been finalized. But they somehow got your adoption approved without this coming to light.”
His daze deepened. “I told them not to bother me with details, to just do anything to get my adoption through.”
His father tsked. “Seems anything included falsifying data. Once a discrepancy is found, the adoption might be invalidated.”
He erupted. “No, it won’t. Go ahead. Do your worst, Father. I’m getting this fixed, and Ryan will be Gwen’s and mine, legally, anywhere in the world, no matter what you do. I’ll fight you, I’ll fight Jizaan and Durrah and the whole world for him, for Gwen’s right to be his mother. And I’ll win. Ryan will never be anyone’s but Gwen’s, the one who loves him, who sacrificed all for him.”
His father only sighed. “Have I ever told you how much I wish you were my heir?”
“You know better than to try to appeal to my ego, Father.”
“No, you’re right. What I wish is irrelevant. In matters of state, it always is. I hope Abbas will come around when it’s time for him to take my place. He might not think so, but he’d make a formidable king. While you are more beneficial to Jizaan and the world being who you are, where you are.”
“We’re not talking matters of state here. I mean it, Father. I won’t let you near Ryan.”
“But it’s not up to you.” He turned to Gwen. “I would see my grandson now, ya marat ebni.”
At hearing his father calling her “my son’s wife,” Gwen’s eyes filled.
Fareed stopped her as she moved. “You don’t have to.”
Those eyes that were his world glittered with too much that they took his breath away. “He has more right to Ryan than I do.”
“That’s not true,” he gritted. “You are his mother.”
Twin tears slithered down her face as she tore her gaze away and hurried out of the room.
He stood glaring at his father as they waited for her to come back. She did in minutes, hugging a flushed-with-sleep Ryan.
At the sight of him, Ryan perked up with the smiles and sounds he bestowed on no one else. He was endlessly thankful for that, for he did love Ryan as if he were his own.
Then Ryan realized Gwen was taking him elsewhere and turned to investigate his new destination.
Ryan blinked and looked back at Fareed as if to make sure he hadn’t teleported.
Fareed’s jaw bunched. Surely Ryan didn’t think he resembled his father that much? And even if they did share much of their looks, he couldn’t possibly feel the same vibes from him!
Next moment, Ryan buried his face into Gwen’s bosom.
That was more like it.
Before satisfaction seethed inside Fareed’s chest, he saw Ryan peeking shyly, inquisitively, interestedly at his father from