Shattered Inside (Yandere!Cheater x Reader)

XLI

"I can't believe it... if what you're saying is true then my parents have lied to me all my life." James was close to losing it, the whole flood of information having been too much for his brain and heart. "Then, my life has been a lie—" His breathing was shallow, thus his brain barely received any oxygen; he soon felt quite light-headed.

Matthew put his hands onto his son's shoulders, supporting his slightly tilted body. "Taking you away from me certainly wasn't your mother's best decision, but look at the bright side: We've finally found each other again!" he mumbled with sparkling eyes. "This makes all the hardships and sleepless nights I had to endure worthwhile. Everything has led up to this very moment!"

"All of this feels like some weird fever dream..." The shaking boy tried to make his voice sound as if he was telling a joke, which didn't work as well as he had hoped. His blue eyes held a distant look to them, like he was still trying to digest this revelation. "I wonder whether my mother would have ever told me eventually on her own...." His trust in everything he had ever believed in shattered. He wasn't sure what or whom to believe anymore. Even you — his beloved mother — had been in on it, having lied to him about his true father.

But then, what was with the man whom James called his father? Ethan had loved him like his own son, and cared for him like his own flesh and blood. Even if he was not his biological father, he still felt a deep connection towards him — which made digesting all of this even harder.

Matthew furrowed his eyebrows at the way his son's eyes were pressed close as if he was in pain. "You can't tell your mother the things I told you though, do you understand that?" James tilted his head to the side in confusion since that had been the next logical step in his mind once he arrived home: confront you about this whole dilemma and ask if it was true. Aware the boy was in a very vulnerable state — thus prone to believe him quite easily — Matthew knew exactly what to say to keep his son from foiling his plans. "I need to talk to her first about all of this. Your mother and I, we can't simply let this remain unspoken about."

The boy averted his eyes to the ground, pondering if his words made any sense. His father would never mean him any harm, right? Especially after he had been so brave to step forward and tell James of the truth while the people the boy cared about stayed silent — they maybe even lied to him! After a while, James raised his gaze to meet his opposite's. "I'll think about it. But for now, I won't tell her anything."

"Good boy." Matthew, smiling brightly, ruffled his son's black hair. The affectionate gesture brought a smile to James' frozen lips. He failed to notice how Matthew's face turned serious once again, dangerous almost. "I have a favour of you to ask... I know it's a lot to ask, but could you give me your mother's phone number so I can sort out a few things with her?" Matthew asked, a little shimmer of hope ringing in his voice. This was a daring request, which he hoped James wouldn't mind too much.

"Her phone number?" he repeated sceptically. "That's quite peculiar."

Matthew's eyes hardened subtly, which James didn't notice. "I don't have any bad intentions, believe me. I just need to contact her, so we can work all of this out."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do that. I need some time to think about everything you've told me. I'm not even sure if I can believe you..." James muttered, hoping he would understand. Matthew's smile tilted until it slipped off his face — all of which he tried to desperately hide behind an understanding smile. The boy would eventually come around to trust him; he just needed some time. Matthew already had given James his phone number anyway, under the pretense that he should be called if something bad happened to Lily in case of an emergency. James could contact him any time, and Matthew was aware of that.

"Forget what I asked, James. That was uncalled for," he pressed through a smile. "Now, let's talk about nicer things! So, now tell me all about what you've been up to in the last couple of years. We have a lot of catching up to do!"