Two days later…
Dave had grown stable, though still a little weak. He lay on the bed, his chest rising and falling gently. Beside him sat Kelvin at the edge of the bed, holding his hand tightly.
"I'm sorry for everything, Dave. If I hadn't acted the way I did, none of this would've happened to you. You wouldn't have had to go through all this pain, and I wouldn't have found out about your pregnancy in such a tragic way. Please, forgive me — for failing to protect you, for not keeping you safe," Kelvin said, his voice trembling as tears streamed down his cheeks.
Dave's eyes fluttered open when he felt something warm drop on his hand. He looked up and saw Kelvin crying, his brows furrowing softly.
"Hey… what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
The question only made Kelvin cry harder.
"I caused all of this, Dave. I'm so sorry. I couldn't even be a good father — or husband. I could've lost both you and the bab—"
He was cut off when Dave leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.
"Shh… don't say that. Look, I'm fine. Our baby is fine. Nothing's going to happen now that you're here with me," Dave whispered, resting his forehead against Kelvin's.
"We're bound to be together. That's why I'm still alive — it proves we're meant for each other, and nothing can tear us apart, Kelvin. Now," he smiled faintly, brushing his thumb along Kelvin's cheek, "I want to see a big smile on your face. We should celebrate this unexpected good news — this tiny life in here," he said, guiding Kelvin's palm to rest gently on his stomach.
Kelvin's eyes shimmered again as tears fell, this time mixed with a fragile smile. Dave chuckled softly.
"You're so cute, you know," he teased, wiping Kelvin's tears away.
"Forgive me, my love," Kelvin murmured, hugging him tenderly and placing a soft kiss on the side of his neck. "I'll protect both of you with my life."
"You must never doubt me again," Dave said softly. "If I tell you I didn't do something, that means I didn't."
Kelvin's expression changed instantly, guilt flashing across his face. "Yes… I'll never doubt you again. And that reminds me — the one who caused all this chaos… where the hell is Maelis?" His tone darkened, anger flaring.
But before he could rise, Dave held him back.
"No! Don't. Just let her be. I'm sure she's realized the damage she caused. She probably didn't expect things to go this far. Let her be for now — guilt will catch up to her soon enough."
"Dave… not everyone is like you," Kelvin muttered bitterly. "She's not regretting anything. She caused all this. If I hadn't listened to her, none of this would've happened. How could she stoop so lo—"
"It's not her fault, Kelvin," Dave interrupted firmly. "It's yours — for listening to her and letting her come between us. If your love for me were as strong as mine for you, nothing, not even those damned gods, could've pulled us apart. So take this as your lesson to adjust."
"I—I didn't mean to… I was just shocked that you did that—"
"So you believed I did it?" Dave asked quietly.
"I didn't— I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Please, Dave," Kelvin stammered, his voice breaking as he hugged him tightly. "I'm really, really sorry."
Dave smiled faintly and hugged him back. "It's okay. It's all in the past now. Let's not dwell on it. You've learned your lesson, and I've learned mine."
Kelvin rested his chin on Dave's shoulder, breathing in his scent as if to convince himself that this was real — that Dave was alive, breathing, warm. "I'll make it up to you," he murmured, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Every single day, I'll prove that I deserve you… both of you."
Dave chuckled softly, brushing his fingers through Kelvin's dark hair. "You don't have to prove anything, Kelvin. Just stay by my side. That's all I'll ever need."
Kelvin pulled back slightly to look at him. "You really forgive me that easily?"
Dave smiled — the kind that reached his tired eyes. "I never stopped loving you, Kelvin. Anger can't erase that."
Kelvin leaned in again, kissing him deeply, pouring all his regret and devotion into it. The room felt still, quiet except for the sound of their soft breaths mingling.
Then, suddenly, a sharp knock broke the peace.
Kelvin froze. His eyes flickered toward the door.
The door opened suddenly, and Dave's parents rushed in, both looking worried and anxious.
"Dave! Dave, my love, how are you feeling? I heard you were in an accident!" his mother exclaimed as she hurried to his side, sitting on the bed and checking him over with trembling hands. His father followed closely behind, and Rihanna's grandmother entered the room quietly after them.
"I'm fine now, Mother. All is well, there's nothing to worry about," Dave said with a soft smile, trying to calm her down.
"Are you sure, Dave? You've been scaring me lately. You're making me worry a lot," she said, brushing his hair back gently.
His father, who had been standing behind her, furrowed his brows as he stepped forward. His gaze shifted sharply toward Kelvin.
"Kelvin," he said firmly, "how did this happen? What caused all of this?"
The weight of his tone made Kelvin's throat tighten. He swallowed hard, unable to meet the man's piercing eyes.
Dave sensed the tension immediately and quickly intervened. "Dad, it wasn't Kelvin's fault. I wasn't careful — I went out at night and got attacked by a dog. But I'm fine now. The wounds will heal soon."
His father sighed, though his expression remained stern. His mother reached out again, patting Dave's hair affectionately. "You have to be more careful, Dave. Stop being so careless and take care of yourself. Thank God you're fine — I was worried sick."
The room's tension gradually began to ease. That was when Rihanna's grandmother cleared her throat softly and called Dave's mother closer. "There's something important I need to tell you about Dave's health," she said.
Dave's heart skipped a beat. He knew exactly what she wanted to say — he had already asked her to tell his parents about his pregnancy because he couldn't bring himself to do it. But hearing her about to speak those words out loud made him panic.
He turned to Kelvin, who gave him a reassuring smile and a small nod.
Dave's mother frowned slightly. "What is it about? Is Dave okay?"
Rihanna's grandmother exhaled deeply and looked between both parents. "Yes, he's perfectly fine," she began, "but… there's just a twist somewhere."
Dave's pulse raced as he gripped the bedsheet tightly.
"I want to tell you," the old woman continued calmly, "that your son, Dave… is pregnant."
The words fell like a thunderclap. Dave's mother froze, her mouth dropping open in shock, while his father's eyes widened, his expression shifting from disbelief to utter confusion.