GoodReadDerek, fueled by a father’s protective instinct, didn’t even bother to grab his coat. In just a tee he usually lounged in at home, he dashed out the door.
Spotting his daughter, he strode towards her with determination.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Karen, Daddy's here.” The moment Jeffrey caught sight of Derek, his stomach twisted with anxiety.
“Dad...” “Hold on,” Derek cut him off, his voice as chilly as the winter air, as he positioned himself between Karen and Jeffrey, “What Karen just said... Is it true?” Jeffrey scrambled to clarify, “There’s a reason for it! It's not what Karen thinks!” “I'm asking you straight. Did you spend the night with another woman?” Jeffrey hesitated before replying, “Yes.” “That's all | need to know. I'm taking my daughter home.” Derek was even less willing to hear excuses than Karen was. He merely looked down at his daughter and asked, “Are those two suitcases yours?” Karen nodded, her eyes welling up, “Yeah.” “I'll grab them. You go wait in the car.” The gentle care and unconditional support from her father brought tears to Karen's eyes, tears she had been holding back until then.
She turned and walked towards her father’s car.
Jeffrey rushed over, grabbing her wrist in a desperate grip. “Does it have to be so cutthroat? After all we've been through, you're just going to cut ties like this?” “Let go.” “I won't!” Jeffrey clung on, as if he'd rather die than release her hand. “We were about to get engaged. How can you treat this like child’s play? Karen, haven't | been good to you?” “You have,” Karen admitted, “but it wasn’t a one-of-a-kind good, which is what | need.” “What do you mean not one-of-a-kind? I've never bared my soul to anyone like | have to you, Karen!” Jeffrey turned her to face him, his eyes pleading, “I swear, | don’t have any feelings for Paige! My phone died last night, | was exhausted, and | just crashed on the hospital cot. As soon as | woke up, | called you!” His words sounded reasonable enough, but Karen didn’t believe a single one.
“So, your phone was dead last night and magically had power this morning?” “I borrowed a charger.” “Jeffrey, can you just stop lying? At least leave me with some good memories! Let's part on good terms.” Karen pushed his hand away, stepping back. “You clearly didn’t want to contact me, whatever the reason. If you wanted to, you could've made it happen.
But you didn’t. You left me to worry and search for you in the middle of the night, only to find out you were with another woman.” That was something Karen could never accept! He could have been a playboy before, juggling countless ex-girlfriends, and she could have overlooked it all. However, once they were together, he had to be all in for her, and her alone.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmJeffrey felt as if his heart had been stung, the pain so severe he instinctively clutched his chest.
The night before, he’d been so torn, unsure of how to tell Karen about the situation with the child, so he had chosen to escape, shutting his phone off.
He had thought that Paige just wanted him to stay at the hospital for one night, that going off the grid for a few hours would be forgivable, and he would take whatever came his way the next day.
But Jeffrey hadn't expected that a single night of absence would be his undoing.
Now, any explanation seemed dry and lifeless. To speak was to make excuses.
“Give me one chance, one last chance.” “When [ first agreed to be with you, that was your one chance, but you didn't cherish it.” Karen forced a smile, glancing at Derek, who stood nearby with luggage in hand, ready and waiting. “Dad, let's go.” “Sure thing,” Derek replied with a nod, ready to take his daughter away from the heartbreak.
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