My Dad's Bestfriend

Jacob

I watched as she ran into the mansion, her cheeks stained with tears and her eyes red, that had fucking told me that I'd torn her apart with the betrayal. Forget about Danica; I was the bigger traitor here. I shattered the promises I had sworn never to break. I uttered words, fully aware that they would mercilessly crush her heart.

Damn it! All along, I knew it was the wrong path to take, yet my own doubts propelled me forward- I ended up fucking up everything, anways. Now, I found myself without Evelyn, without the friendship I tried to save, and worse, the losses and pain I had desperately tried to shield her from were inevitable.

She just went through it....right before my damn eyes and I being the fucking looser, just stood still all the time.

I should never have did what Danica had told me however, my own fucking insecurities drove me into this shit.

But I just wanted her to be...happy. That was my only desire- all the way along. I'd thought it could have saved her from a lot of pain with just a heartbreak that might have healed soon. But would it ever heal? Shit! I did not know.

Her eyes didn't say so...

"Wow!" Samuel let out, disbelief etched across his face. "Do you two fucking think life is some kind of film? Oh sorry, my bad- do you two fucking think that my daughter's life is some sort of movie? Where you could make a special appearance all of a sudden, sway her with your charms and then, Danica you can jump into the story and choose sick twisted ways to add more to it?" His gaze darted from me to Danica, "And, what the fuck did you have in your mind when you planned to make this asshole dump my daughter? Clearly when you knew he had led her on, they had taken it far enough to allow her feelings to grow and shit. Do you have any idea of what you have done?!"

"Samuel... I thought I was doing what was best."

"God! You're unbelievable. Who the hell gave you the right to make such a decision regarding my daughter without ever letting me in on the truth first?!"

"I can make decisions for her too, Samuel. She's my daughter as well."

Then, what I'd least expected occurred. Samuel fucking exploded.

"No, she fucking isn't! When did you even remember that, apart from being a woman striving to build your career, you're also a mother?! I never wanted to say this, but, Danica, you've never played the role of being her mother. You didn't remember that you were her mother when you missed her school events, her birthdays, her victories, and her milestones like learning to ride a bicycle for the first time and jumping up and down in joy as if that's everything she'd ever wanted. That happiness, those smiles..... You were absent from every special moment in her life," he shouted, his voice trembling, "God, you weren't even there to scold her when she had her first stupid boyfriend. Do you even know why Evelyn believes we separated? She still thinks it was my business failure that made you pack your bags and leave. Did you ever try to explain the truth to her? Did you, Danica?"

"Samuel, please, let's not..." Clara spoke up, noticing the pained expression on Danica's face.

Clearly, Danica was taken aback by Samuel's sudden outburst - this was a first. I knew it. Even when they separated, it had all been done calmly, even though it was what Danica wanted-just her. She fell out of love first, and Samuel, being himself, didn't stop her or try to trap her in an unwanted relationship.

He did the sacrifice easily because he got Evelyn. She was everything to him.

"I know I've made mistakes, Samuel. I got too caught up in trying to build my career, but that doesn't mean I don't love my daughter," tears welled up in her eyes, "I love her. You know I send her gifts every Christmas, but she never opens even one of them! I've tried calling her, talking to her, bridging the gap, but Evelyn never opens up. She puts all the blame on me and...you? What did you do? Did you ever try to fix it?"

"Fix it? I've been trying my entire life to mend things between you and Evelyn, Danica, but nothing can happen if you don't try yourself. And Christmas gifts? She didn't want gifts or expensive electronics; she wanted you! She wanted her mother by her side. And phone calls? She didn't want phone calls; she wanted to meet you, to have you beside her, maybe not all the time but just once or twice a month! It wasn't that hard, was it? But you messed it up yourself, and by the time you genuinely started to try, everything had fallen so far out of line that it couldn't be fixed. Those phone calls you are talking about you started that way later than you should have!" he spat. "I'm sorry to say this, but you failed as a mother back then, and today you have failed as a mother again."

Tears streamed down Danica's face, "Yes... I think I am a failed mother. You are right," She wiped her tears, her voice shaking, "I should've never tried to re-enter her life after making those mistakes, and I should have never hoped for my daughter to... not go through the same regrets you and I did. You are right... I am a failed mother," and with that, she left, sobbing.

I was utterly fed up with their shit at this point.

To be honest, all I wanted was to rush back to Evelyn and hold her in my arms, but I knew I had lost that right. I had betrayed her when she had placed all her trust in me. I crushed all she wanted in between those words I said. Fuck, I felt so sick of myself.

But what could I even do now? Everything I had hoped to prevent by breaking her heart was unfolding right before my eyes. Samuel's discovery at this unsuitable moment had ruined everything. Nothing was right- it was all falling apart.

"Samuel, please, stop this," Clara implored, "Let's go to our room. People can hear us, and this is not something to be discussed here."

However, he seemed least inclined to stop so soon. His eyes fixed on me, "You know what, Jacob? All of this you could have avoided all of it if you simply hadn't acted like a jerk in the first place. But you took it that far with my daughter," his face twisted with fury. "And even after you took it that far, you could have atdeast tried to make it right, couldn't you? Regardless of what Danica said to you, it still doesn't get to me, it still god damn excuse how you treated her. How could you just fucking do that to her?Tell me the truth, will you? Deep down, were you really just using her the whole time?"

This was it. I couldn't hold it back any longer. "I love her, Samuel! I fucking love her! Do you not get it?!" I shouted, "You know me better than anyone else in this world, and you know I'd never lie about something like this. I know it was wrong, but... I fell for her. I can't breathe when she's not around-she's the one who fixed me. All the wounds Chloe and my messed-up family inflicted on me, she healed them all just by being in my life. I can't even tell you how much I love her. If I had to die for her, I would. I'd damn well do it!"

"Then how could you not love her right, you bastard?! If you're willing to die for her, then how could a few words from Danica change your mind and make you end up doing the worst thing imaginable?!"

For a moment, I couldn't quite grasp his question. It was unexpected, coming from my best friend who, just moments ago, wanted nothing more than to beat the shit out of me and kick me out of his house because of my and Evelyn's relation.

Or maybe... it wasn't just about that. That anger....was it because of me breaking her heart?

"I..." I hesitated for a moment,

struggling to form a coherent sentence before finally managing, "You know the hell I've been through, Samuel. didn't want those traumas to end up hurting her. I didn't want my past to hurt her, and most importantly... I didn't want her to spend her whole life picking up pieces that she never broke in the first place. I did not want to be selfish and prevent her from having someone better in her life."

"The best by what? By breaking her heart?" I could still sense the rage in his expression, and I could tell he wanted nothing but to lash out at me. I couldn't understand why he was holding back, especially when I had fucked up real bad. "Don't you fucking know how bad that hurts? Didn't you get your heart broken by that bitch and got put through shit? How could you put her through that pain when you claim to love her?"

I had no answer. I just didn't...

"I know I fucked up, Samuel. I'm well aware of it," I sighed, my shoulders slumping, "I wanted to make things right, but I ended up ruining them."

"Of course you fucked up. And you know what? You're a damn coward, and I'd never approve of my daughter being with a man who can't even fight for himself or what he wants. So, I suggest you pack your fucking bags and leave!"

With those words, he turned and walked back into the mansion.

As he left, Clara approached me, her voice gentle, "Jacob, please understand that Samuel is just very angry right now. He might not have meant everything he said. You know him. Please don't take it too much to heart. Stay, and let things calm down."

"No, Clara, I think I should leave. I've already made things incredibly difficult for Evelyn," I sighed, shaking my head, a bitter chuckle escaping my lips. "I feel like laughing at myself. Everything was going right, but I let my past influence me. I let myself be a coward."

"Jacob, don't think like that. I'm sure Samuel will talk to you once everything calms down."

"That's the problem, Clara. I don't know how to answer him because what I did was wrong, and on top of that, I ended up hurting Evelyn beyond what you, I, or anyone could ever imagine. Things have spiralled out of control, and they're beyond repair."

"But-"

"I'll leave tonight, Clara. Please take care of Evelyn and Samuel," With that, I turned and walked away.