My Dad's Bestfriend

Jacob

"This is our last hope," he whispered, his voice tinged with a mixture of hope and anxiety, "We have a witness who can testify against those women accusing me of harassment in the office. All those fake texts and edited videos spreading through the media, it could all come to an end if this plan suceeds."

"Everything's going to be fine," I reassured him, reaching out to gently squeeze his hand. "Let's hope for the best."

"If things go as planned, I'll get my company back, and even if I can't prove Tyler's behind it all, just getting back on the field will be a victory for now," he sighed, standing up and slipping on his shirt.

I covered my naked body with the duvet, pressing my back against the headboard as I took a deep breath. I was nervous. I desperately hoped everything would return to normal. Seeing Jacob weighed down by this constant gloom-it tore me fucking apart. I was ready to face any struggle with him, but I knew Jacob wasn't prepared for this fight. He didn't deserve to struggle after everything he'd worked so hard to build had been unjustly taken from him.

He truly didn't deserve to be going through all of it.

"I'll pray for us."

He flashed me the softest of smiles in response before leaning in to kiss my lips gently. "I love you," he murmured.

Returning his smile, I pulled him back in for another kiss, deepening it as my fingers tangled in his soft silky hair. His lips against me, this feeling, this was enough for me to fight the toughest of storms. After a moment, we parted, and I rested my forehead against his.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" I asked softly. "I could join you. It's not a big deal."

He let out a sigh and settled beside me, cupping my face in his hands, his touch gentle against my cheekbones. "I know what you're worried about, and trust me, I won't screw anything up again," he murmured, his eyes filled with understanding. "My lawyer and I are meeting with that woman today, and hopefully, things will go smoothly. Plus, we've gathered evidence proving these allegations are false. By the day of the hearing, we'll have enough proof to show I've been set up."

"Okay," I replied after a moment of silence, leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead, feeling the tension in his body ease at the touch of my lips. "I love you," I whispered.

"I'll be back soon," he murmured, his thumbs caressing my cheeks. "Wait for me."

"Always," I replied with a smile, which he returned before getting up, grabbing his coat, and walking out of the room.

***

I waited, my eyes glued to the clock, anxiety gnawing at my insides. Nearly five hours had passed since he left, and it was starting to bother me. It wasn't supposed to take this long. Was I overthinking? Was I being stupid, imagining the worst scenarios where he got caught up in trouble again? I tried to stay sane, but the worry crept in nonetheless.

I battled with my thoughts, my phone clutched tightly in my hand.

Should I call him?

But what if he's busy? What if I end up disturbing him?

Man! I had no idea how long legal matters took. There could be procedures and lengthy meetings with the lawyer, or it could simply be nothing and prove to be that Jacob was in trouble again. But my mind kept racing with possibilities, each one more unsettling than the last.

God! This was enough.

"Maybe I should just call him," I muttered to myself, scrolling through my contacts and tapping on his name to make the call. It rang once before the front door of the apartment opened, and Jacob walked in. My eyes snapped to the doorway, hope flickering in my chest as I stood up, a smile spreading across my face. But it faltered when I saw his expression.

I didn't know. I was an overthinker, and I'd always fucking overthink, no matter what.

My eyes darted to the doorway, finding him entering the room while I remained seated on the sofa. I quickly cut the call, standing up and dashing towards him, a hopeful smile plastered on my face. "I was just about to call you..." I began, moving to pull him in a tight hug, but my smile faltered as I noticed his expression.

Oh no...

"Please don't tell me something went wrong..." I slowly whispered, my voice shaking whilst my hands dropping to my sides.

Silently, without uttering a single

word, he shrugged off his coat, the fabric whispering as it cascaded to the ground. With a hesitant stillness, he approached the sofa, his

movements carrying

1.n

unspoken weight. Each step seemed toecho in the emptiness of the room until, with a heavy sigh, he sank onto the cushions, burying his face in his hands.

So something went wrong...

I approached his side, taking a seat beside him, unsure of how to start a conversation or if I should start one at all.

I didn't fucking know. He definitely didn't look okay.

"Hey," I began softly, reaching out to grab his hand and pull it away from his face, intertwining our fingers. "It's okay..."

He remained silent, his eyes speaking volumes, telling me that something didn't just go wrong-it went terribly wrong. It was as if the weight of the world was now on his shoulders, pressing him down, making it hard for him to breathe.

I pulled him into a hug, sighing softly as he held onto me tightly, his trembling voice breaking the heavy silence.

"I am doomed, Evelyn. Everything's ruined..."

I didn't say anything, simply holding him tighter as his chin rested on my shoulder and he buried his face into my neck, "We've lost our last chance Tyler bribed the lawyer, and all the evidence my team gathered has been destroyed. The witness has been sent out of the country, and there's no way to contact her. We're trapped, perhaps forever."

Oh god...

My throat tightened as his first sniffle broke the silence. "What do I do, Evelyn? I've lost everything I've built over the years. All those sleepless nights, the hard work, the years... it's all gone to waste." Don't cry, Evelyn...

DON'T CRY!

"It's okay," I whispered, moving to cup his face and make him look at me. I wiped away his tears, struggling to steady my own trembling voice. "We'll rebuild. You're a fighter, Jacob, and fighters don't give up, do they?"

"I don't have it in me, Evelyn. I... don't," he admitted, his voice heavy with despair.don't think I can deal with this anymore. Seeing you like this, watching Mom and Dad all the time, these shitty days... I can't handle it. Having nothing makes me feel as helpless ast was

worry

when my father used to beat my mom, and I could only watch. You don't know what these situations are doing to me-I never liked feeling helpless, because it only brings back memories of my past. I can't even explain it. It sounds like nonsense, but it's... it's-"

"Shh..." I pressed my forehead against his, my breath mingling with his. "I understand. It's okay... I know what you're talking about. I know it all."

He remained silent for a few moments, his body tense, his breathing ragged, betraying his inner turmoil.

"You should leave me, Evelyn. I'm afraid I'd ruin everything..." he finally whispered, his voice heavy with despair. "I don't trust myself anymore. This... all of this, it's too much." There he goes again with those words.

God! I wished I could make him believe that no matter how he was, no matter the state of his life or the circumstances, I only fucking needed him. No one else. Nothing else.

"I'm not leaving you, ever," I said softly, my voice unwavering. "I'm staying. No matter what you become, no matter how everything turns out, even if we end up on the streets. I'm still staying. "Evelyn... I'm not good for you. Please, listen to me. Let's not think emotionally and-"

"I swear to god, if you bring this up one more time, I'm going to fucking kill you," I interrupted, my voice still soft as I wiped away his tears. "Now, shut up."

As tears streamed down his cheeks, his vulnerability hung in the air, fragile like glass. Each word I uttered had the potential to either mend his broken spirit or deepen his wounds.

It fucking hurt me to see him like this, in so much of the same pain that I wanted to shield him from.

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"Come here," I pulled him close, and once again, he buried his face into my neck, silently crying and letting go of the tears that I knew he didn't want me to see. "Everything's going to be okay, Jacob. I promise you."