Farewell, My Brightest Star || SAFFS Book 2 || FreenBecky [Completed]

LAST CHAPTER

BECKY'S POINT OF VIEW

"Mom, where is Dad?" Fern inquired, her voice laced with curiosity as we lay on her single bed. Even though it was bedtime, her young mind was filled with questions.

Caught off guard by the query, I pondered how to respond. The truth was, I didn't know her father. I had been conceived through an IVF process using an anonymous sperm donor, and the donor's identity remained a mystery.

"Someday, when you're older, I promise I'll tell you everything," I replied, a gentle smile gracing my lips as I leaned in to kiss her forehead.

Fern nodded understandingly, covering herself with the blanket. I marveled at her independence, how easily she accepted my lack of answers. It seemed as though she possessed an innate wisdom beyond her years.

"When will you reveal the truth to her, Becky? That there was no daddy, just two mommies," Richie sighed wearily as I entered the kitchen. He had been waiting on the stool for nearly an hour.

"I don't want to confuse them at such a young age. It's best to wait," I replied, pouring myself a glass of wine.

Richie swiftly took the glass from my hand, pouring the wine down the sink. He regarded me with furrowed brows, sighing deeply.

"Are you going to continue pretending you don't remember Freen?" he asked, a note of concern in his voice.

I turned to face him, slowly nodding.

I had done it many times before—feigning ignorance to teach her a lesson. But she never seemed to learn. Even when she chose her career over our relationship, despite promising me otherwise, I still understood her. I still loved her.

"It's been years, and yet my heart still beats for her," I chuckled softly. "I wonder if she still remembers what I told her about the pictures on the ceiling. I left them there as a reminder of my eternal love for her." A bittersweet smile graced my lips.

"But Nat told me she removed them when you arrived here. She even sold the house. Tell me, do you still love her?" Richie questioned once more.

I shrugged, biting my lip, trying to suppress the tears threatening to spill.

Had Freen truly done that? Despite everything, she used to love them.

"If it's not her, then it's no one. I love her deeply, Richie, even if she tears me apart inside. My feelings remain unwavering," I replied, a mixture of pain and devotion in my voice.

Richie nodded, as though he grasped the weight of my words. He stood up and handed me an envelope.

"This contains the results of the sleeping pills Nat gave you. Pretend you don't know anything while I search for his accomplice. It will take time, so Nam will take care of you while I'm away. Stay vigilant. Act as though you have amnesia. Show surprise when the truth is revealed to you. I'll be back in due time," Richie stated before leaving.

That was our final conversation before Richie's departure. I traveled out of town for a while, returning on the same day that Freen, Blew, and Nam arrived. I had instructed Nat not to bring the kids, fearing they would get lost in the crowd, but he disregarded my request. Thankfully, France proved to be resourceful enough to find me.

It hadn't been my plan to introduce Freen to the children, yet fate had other ideas. I played the role of an oblivious employer when she applied as a nanny. At first, I feared my guard would falter in her presence, but she purposefully avoided my touch, as if she were waiting for my memories to resurface.