My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 224

David’s face trembled for a moment. He tried to steady himself but failed. His voice cracked a little when he answered.

“I always wanted to,” he said. “Always. I just… I made mistakes. Big mistakes. And I’m sorry for that. But if you give me a chance, I want to be here. For you.”

Danish didn’t say anything. He just looked at their hands, then at David’s face. Then he took a tiny step closer on his knees, still confused but drawn to the warmth.

Lily let out a shaky breath. She reached up and wiped the corner of her eye discreetly.

David saw it, but he didn’t say anything.

Danish suddenly asked, “If you’re my dad… can I call you Dad?”

David’s breath caught. He blinked quickly, his eyes turning glassy for a second.

“You can call me whatever makes you comfortable,” he whispered. “You don’t have to rush. Even if you just call me David for now, it’s fine.”

Danish shook his head. “No… I like Dad.”

David closed his eyes for a moment, fighting the wave of emotion that hit him. Lily saw his hands tremble as he tried to hold himself together.

When he opened his eyes again, he looked at Danish with a soft, helpless smile.

“In that case,” he said, “I’d be the happiest man in the world to hear you call me Dad.”

Danish leaned a little closer and whispered, “Dad.”

David let out a breath that sounded more like a painful sigh of relief. He bowed his head for a second, overcome. Lily looked away to give him space, her heart full but aching at the same time.

Then Danish asked, “Are you going to stay with me today?”

David nodded at once. “If you want me to.”

Danish smiled. “I do.”

Lily felt a knot in her stomach. The moment was beautiful, but it scared her. David was back in their lives. And this time, whether she liked it or not, he wasn’t leaving without a fight.

Danish didn’t wait for another word. The moment the truth settled in his little heart, he threw himself forward and jumped straight into David’s arms.

David caught him with both hands, almost losing balance. His arms wrapped around the small body automatically, tight and protective. Danish buried his face in David’s neck, giggling a little, almost shy but excited.

David froze at first. Then slowly, his arms tightened even more, holding his son like he had found something he had been searching for all his life.

He lowered his face and inhaled the soft smell of Danish’s hair, his skin, his warm little body. It hit him so hard that his eyes stung. He didn’t know a child could smell like this… warm, sweet, peaceful. He never thought he would ever hold his own child this way.

His chest hurt in a strange soft way. His throat tightened. He felt the weight of seven long years pressing against his ribs.

His son.

Lily stiffened. “David… what are you doing?”

She pressed her hand on his chest, trying to push him back. But it didn’t work. His grip only tightened. It wasn’t harsh this time. It wasn’t meant to hurt. It felt more like desperation pulling her in.

Danish’s little hand touched Lily’s sleeve, not understanding what was going on but happy to be between both of them.

David’s arm came around Lily’s waist and pulled her right into his chest. Lily gasped softly, her mind going blank. She could feel his heartbeat against her palm. She could feel his breath on her neck. She could smell his cologne, sharp and warm, too familiar.

“David… stop. Let go,” she whispered, her voice uneven.

But instead of stepping back, David lowered his face and pressed it into her hair. His breath trembled.

“Lily,” he whispered, his voice rough and low. The sound of it sent a cold shiver down her spine.

She froze, not because she wanted to, but because something inside her reacted in fear and confusion. His tone wasn’t angry. It was raw.

“You are mine,” he whispered again, almost like a confession he had been holding for years. “Don’t even think that I’ll let you go again.”

Lily’s fingers curled weakly in his shirt. “David… you can’t talk like that. We’re not...”

“I told you,” he cut in, pulling her even closer with one firm hand on her back. “You’ll regret coming back.”

His breath brushed her ear. His voice was shaky, not with rage, but with something deeper. Something he didn’t want to lose again.