Daddy's Best Friend

68

CHAPTER 68

SOPHIA’S POV

The morning sunlight streamed through the window as we sat at the breakfast table—my father, Kayla, and me. The atmosphere, however, was far from sunny. I pushed the scrambled eggs around my plate, appetite absent, my mind occupied with thoughts of Henry.

"Dad," I finally mustered the courage to speak, "when can I go back to school?"

He looked up from his newspaper, his brows furrowing. "What's the rush, Sophia? You just got back."

I sighed, a heavy burden on my chest. "I need to get back to my life, Dad. I can't stay cooped up here forever."

He exchanged a glance with Kayla before addressing me. "Sophia, I'm making some calls to have you transferred back here permanently. It's for the best."

My fork clattered against the plate as I shot up from my chair, frustration bubbling within me. "Transfer me back? Dad, you can't do that!"

"Why not?" he replied, his tone stern.

"Because it's my life, Dad! I'm an adult. You can't control every aspect of it," I retorted, my voice rising with every word.

Kayla interjected, attempting to diffuse the tension. "Sophia, your father is just worried. He wants what's best for you."

I shot her a sharp look. "What's best for me is to make my own decisions, Kayla. I can't have my life dictated by everyone around me."

Dad folded his newspaper, his gaze intense. "This isn't about control, Sophia. It's about protecting you. I don't want you getting hurt."

I paced back and forth, my frustration reaching a boiling point. "Getting hurt? Dad, I'm not a child. I can handle my own life. And you transferring me back won't change anything. I'll find a way to be with Henry."

His eyes narrowed, and his voice dropped to a firm tone. "Sophia, I won't let you throw your future away for some man."

"Some man?" I snapped, unable to contain my anger. "He's not just some man, Dad. He's the person I love. Why can't you understand that?"

He stood up, his own frustration mirroring mine. "Love, Sophia, is not enough. You need to think about your future, your career."

I crossed my arms, my defiance unwavering. "I can have both, Dad. Love and a career. You don't get to decide that for me."

Kayla tried to mediate again. "Maybe, Sophia, you should give it some time. Your father is just trying to look out for you."

I glared at both of them, feeling the walls closing in. "No, Kayla. I won't give it time. I won't let anyone decide my life for me. I'm going back to school, and that's final."

The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. My father's gaze bore into mine, a silent battle of wills. But I wasn't ready to back down.

My father's words hit me like a ton of bricks. The revelation about Henry and my mother felt like a betrayal on top of the already simmering conflict. We locked eyes, and his expression was a storm of anger and disappointment.