My Dad's Bestfriend

Chapter 145 Words

Evelyn

As the sunlight filtered through the curtains, dancing with the breeze that gently stirred them, I found myself lost in a battle of distractions. With each crunch of a chip, I attempted to drown out the relentless thoughts of that infuriating man, burying myself in the pages of a book. Yet, even the storyline of my chosen novel failed to captivate me, paling in comparison to the chaotic drama of my own fucking life-a tragic fucked-up movie that audiences would devour when the characters would go through shit, feel like shit and maybe even look like shit!

Fuck this.

I am going to move forward, leave him and his memory behind once and for all—that's final.

"Caroline didn't want to be with Edward, yet she knew he held the key to her heart, igniting a fire within her that no one else could replicate a spark destined to burn eternally," I read aloud, my jaw tensing with each word.

It seemed the universe conspired against me, even influencing my choice of reading material-a cruel reminder of what I was desperately trying to escape.

With a frustrated growl, I slammed the book shut and sat up, a wave of agitation washing over me. As I headed to the bookshelf in search of a distraction, a sudden knock shattered the silence of the room.

Who was it now?

"Come in," I muttered absentmindedly, my fingers grazing over the spines of various books until I settled on a thriller. There was no chance this genre would trigger thoughts of him; if anything, it would fuel my imagination with psychotic fantasies of revenge-a thought I'd shamelessly entertain. I would kill him, slowly and painfully-yes!

"Well, what have we here in the early hours?" Clara's voice echoed, drawing my attention away from the shelf.

"Just losing myself in a book, Clara-trying to make productive use of my time," I replied, flopping back onto the bed in my usual manner, legs raised as I sprawled across the mattress. "Finishing a book might provide a sense of accomplishment, don't you think?"

"I see," Clara mused, joining me on the edge of the bed, her eyes skimming the cover of my chosen novel. "A thriller-not your typical choice."

"I'm trying to shake things up, Clara," I sighed, flipping through the first few pages. "No point in sticking to the same old routine, the same old choices. People change, after all."

I felt the softening of Clara's gaze, a silent acknowledgment of the underlying meaning behind my words. She knew me too well to overlook that. No doubt, her arrival, especially at this hour, hinted at a conversation related to Jacob's stay, a maneuver orchestrated by Dad to soften the blow of his impending apology. I was pretty sure he'd be here once Clara gave him the green signal.

"Can I ask you something, Evie?" Clara's voice pierced the silence, drawing my focus to her.

"Go ahead, Clara."

She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts before plunging into the heart of the matter. "Do you truly don't want Jacob in your life anymore?"

My throat constricted at her directness. I hadn't anticipated such a blunt interrogation, but now I was obliged to respond.

I found myself hesitating, emotions swirling like a tempest within me, my pulse quickening with each passing second.

Did I genuinely want him out of my life?

Damn it! That was a tough question. At this moment, I was consumed by anger, hurt, and a profound ache-I wanted to revel in these emotions, make them permanent even, to shut him out indefinitely. But what if my feelings changed in the days to come?

No! I couldn't allow that to happen. Allowing him back in would only invite further heartache-he'd break me again. For sure.

"No, Clara," I finally admitted, a weary sigh escaping my lips. "I don't want him in my life anymore I've closed the chapter that includes Jacob. He's no longer a factor."

Clara nodded understandingly,

reaching out to gently grasp myThis is from NôvelDrama.Org.

hand in hers, offering a comforting squeeze It was as though she

sensed the monumental effort

took for me to voice those words. "We respect your decision, Evie. Your happiness is all that matters to us, and we only want what's best for you."

Then, she flashed me a soft smile. "But I want to tell you one thing. I know you're not pleased with Jacob staying here, but believe us, we only agreed because he truly wanted it. He's determined to make things right with you, to make you stay. He doesn't want to lose you and promises to make amends. That's why we allowed it—not to interfere, but to give him a chance to prove himself to you. We want Both of you to find happiness, without any regrets. So, by letting him stay, we've given him an opportunity to earn your trust back and given you a chance to reconsider your decision-a chance that both of you deserve. We never want you to regret anything, Evie. Ever. I hope you can understand and forgive your dad and me."

"I understand, Clara. It's okay that you allowed him to stay. Regardless of our relationship turning sour, he's still Dad's best friend, and just because things didn't work out between Jacob and me, Dad shouldn't have to lose a friend," I

marmured, "As terrible of a boyfriend as Jacob may have been can't

deny that he's loyal and a good

friend. So, there's no need for any of

you to apologize to me."

Clara offered a gentle smile and tenderly brushed her fingers against my cheek. "Our Evie is all grown up now, huh?"

"Stop it, Clara. You're making me sound like I'm fifteen."

"No, you're twenty," she chuckled, cupping my face and planting a kiss on my forehead. "And far more sensible than most twenty-year-olds."

"Are you going to get sentimental now? Please don't unleash the waterworks again," I teased.

"No, I won't," she assured me, rising from the bed. "I'll go tell your dad the good news so he can stop stressing out. He's a mess, Evie—you can't imagine how much he's freaking out."

"Fine," I chuckled. "Go and deliver the good news to your hubby."

"Absolutely." With that, she exited the room, leaving behind a brief moment of silence. But soon enough, the tranquility was shattered by the sound of

a message alert.

A familiar ID flashed on the screen, and I opened his text.

"Ready for our date, beautiful?"

Well...there comes my distraction.