Kaden's POV
"You needed to go out sweetie." My mom said as we walked out of the mall and into the parking lot.
"I have."
"Staying at your dad's office helping with work is not going out." She put her shades on top of her head to give me a reprimanding look.
"It's been enough for me." I muttered keeping my head down as we walked.
"You have been acting weird, is there something wrong? Is it because of the arm cast? You know it's going to take time for it to be removed honey."
"It's not that, there's nothing wrong with me. I'm fine." I said as we got inside the car.
"You don't seem to be, you haven't been for—" my mom didn't get to finish her sentence as we got interrupted by my phone.
I took it out to check who it was, "Sorry mom, is dad." She nodded motioning me to pick up as she started the car.
"Hi Kade, how are you sweetheart?" My dad said once I picked up.
"I've been better, mom kidnapped today." I grinned as I watched my mom narrow her eyes at me from the corner of my eye.
"Yeah she had been planning that all week." He chuckled.
"Thanks for the heads up." I rolled my eyes. "Anyway hows work?"
"That's what I've wanted to talk to you about. The O'Connor's house is finished." My dad revealed, I bit my cheek at the mention of the name.
"That's good I guess, what does that have to do with me though? I haven't worked on that house in over a month." I felt the bitterness return to me.
"Mr and Mrs O'Connor are throwing a small gathering on their house today and have invited the whole crew, including you."
"Thanks for the invite, not interested though." I rejected the invitation as smoothly as I could. Although I feel my mom will ask me why I did regardless.
"Kaden you have to come, at least be here twenty minutes or something. You were in charge of the whole project until you got injured and you are my daughter. We have to give our best impression to our clients." I understood where he was coming from, this was something important for him and the company.
Patrick O'Connor is a rich man with contacts and friends, if any of those needed our services my dad wanted to make sure he referred us and they hired us.
I sighed, "Fine, I'll be there. At what time is it?"
"Four, you have two hours to get ready. Thank you kiddo."
"Don't worry dad, I'll meet you there." We said our goodbyes and hung up.
When I felt my mom glancing at me every now and then, it makes me uneasy because I knew she wanted to say something, but wasn't sure if she should.
"What is it mom?"
"Nothing... I just thought you would be more excited to go to the gathering thing. Your friend Jessie will be there after all."
That's the whole fucking problem, she will be there.
"She's not my friend." I shrugged.
She's not my anything, she hasn't been for over a month after she ghosted me.
My mom hummed as she drove, "Kaden she's a married woman."
"I'm aware of that, what are you trying to say?" I didn't bother looking away from the window.
"You and I both know what I'm getting at."
"Nothing happened between her and I." I denied.
"That's not how it seemed in the hospital."
Shit.
"Is that why you don't like her?" I asked turning to look at her.
"Getting involved with a married woman would only hurt you Kaden and she knows. People in those cases rarely leave their husbands. And by the looks of it she didn't. So yes, I don't like her because of it, I knew she would hurt you."
And that she did.
Jessie didn't even have to say anything to do so. She had told me we would talk later after that night at Elizabeth's and we did talk... if you can call her telling me for two straight days that she couldn't text because she was busy with work and then disappearing on me and never replying to my texts again talking.
I tried reaching out, I tried texting, calling, going over to the house— shit even going to her work, but she was always in a meeting or not there. I gave up after almost two weeks of chasing.
I haven't heard from her in a month. Six week, nearly two months. Not a word.
I'm so stupid.
"It was nothing, mom. You don't have to worry about it." I mumbled and focused my attention back to the outside of the car.
"I'm just sayi—"
"Can we just not talk about this?" I interrupted her, "Please mom."
She stayed quiet for a moment, "Okay, I'll drop it."
"Thank you." I mumbled.
"Are you going to the gathering then?" She asked once the car came to a stop in front of my building.
"Yeah, I will pass by... will you?"
"Your dad asked me to come with him, so yes." My mom answered with a smile plastered on her face—it made one of my own appear.
At least someone here can be happy and I'm glad is them.
—
"You didn't have to come with me." I looked at Divya as we got out of her car.
"What? And leave you alone to watch Jessie all over her husband while you mop around? No way." She clung her arm around my good one as we began walking towards the house.
"It's not like I care." I muttered.
"You do and that's okay. It doesn't make you an idiot, it makes you human." Divya smiled at me. "Now let's go and get this over with."
"My dad said I only had to show up, I could leave after a while if I wanted." I said entering the house, the door being opened for the guests.
"Is he here already?"
I hummed, "We are kinda half an hour late."
"You didn't tell me that."
I smiled to some of the people we passed by, "Well I wasn't in a hurry."
"Kaden!"
I turned around to the voice of my dad—who had my mom at arm, like I had Divya. "Dad, mom."
"You are late." He said to me as my mom greeted my roommate.
"I lost track of time, sorry." I lied.
He raised a brow not believing me, "I'm sure you did, now come on mr. O'Connor wanted to see you too."
I felt my mom's stare on me but I didn't turn to her, just nodded and held tighter onto Divya who seemed to be trying to let go. "Don't leave, go with me."
Last thing I wanted was be on my own in this house.
"Okay." Divya nodded as we followed my parents.
The house was full of people I didn't recognize, not even Jessie's parents or brother seemed to be here. Probably because they still lived in Jerome.
When I saw my parents come to a stop I knew we had found they guy. My sight of him was obstructed by my parents and Tom who was also at the house and talking to him it seemed so.
"Mr. O'Connor, my daughter is finally here." My dad said—making Tom move out of the way so we had a clear view of each other.
And there he was... mr and mrs O'Connor, side by side. Like the perfect couple.
I clenched my jaw as I gave the man a hand shake and a fake smile, ignoring his wife at his side. "Mr. O'Connor."
"Please call me Patrick, I'm not old enough to be addressed as mr, less of by people my age." His fake charisma made me want to roll my eyes, but I fought the urge. "Who is this beautiful woman at your side, girlfriend?"
I saw his eyes not so subtly devour Divya as he looked her up and down swiftly... or maybe it was just me because no one else seemed to have caught it.
Regardless I moved my arm to encircle Divya's waist. "This is my best friend, Divya Cherian."
I really don't like this imbecile.
He leaned in to shake Div's hand. "Pleasure."
"Good to meet you too." Divya said making sure the shake didn't last and taking her hand back to her side.
"Jessie hi." Divya acknowledged her as well.
"Hi Divya." Jessie smiled before glancing my way before I quickly looked away.
"I just wanted to say my apologies, I'm aware you got into the accident after you were done repainting my room?" Patrick spoked to me.
That wasn't the only thing I was done doing that day.
"Right, don't worry it could've happened anywhere or at any moment." I waved him off, not needing his apologies. Genuine or not.
"Well I also wanted to thank you for your work on the house, did a fairly good job." Fairly good?
Asshole.
"I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed doing it inside and out." I smiled at him, not missing Jessie's eyes widening from the corner of my eyes.
"I need a drink! Kaden do you mind?" Divya spoke up pulling me away.
"Go with her kiddo, there's some things I want to ask mr. O'Connor." My dad came forward putting a hand on the man's shoulder.
"Of course, I have some questions of my own." They walked away before we did, my mom then following after us. Leaving Jessie on her own.
"What were you thinking?" My mom asked when we were far enough.
"I thought it was hilarious." Divya chuckled, but shut up once my mom gave her a look. "It was... not. Very childish Kaden."
I rolled my eyes, "It's not like he knows."
"Maybe not now, but keep dropping innuendos and he might." My mom sighed and put a strand of hair behind my ear. "It's not worth fighting over someone that has already made their choice sweetie. I know you are hurt, but you have to accept it."
I frowned and shook my head. "I don't need a pep talk, I need a drink."
I walked away so I could finally get myself something to drink, Divya still following me. Not that I don't want her to, I brought her here the least I could do is stick with her.
"What happened between you two, you never gave me the details." Divya asked as she grabbed her and I a glass of whiskey.
"Because there weren't any details to be given. She ghosted me, no explanation whatsoever and I haven't seen or heard of her ever since." I said not mentioning Jessie's name.
"Damn she's cold." Divya muttered taking a sip from her drink.
"Whatever, I'm over it."
"Yeah you looked very over it back there."
Before I could say something back to her we were interrupted by none other than the owner of the house asking everyone in the room for their attention—his wife clung onto his side. This is the most I've ever seen the both of them together—let alone touching.
I hated it.
"My friends can I have your attention for a second?" Patrick O'Connor asked loudly, a drink at hand. Everyone quiet down at his request. "I just wanted to thank you for coming and to thank the construction team that made my wife's and I's dream house come to life... I know I can be difficult... Jessie would know." He laughed at his bad joke along with everyone else.
I could just scoff quietly.
"So thank you to Dereck and his team." He raised the hand with his glass. "Thank you for helping build the perfect house for me, my wife and our future child."
My eyes dropped to where his other hand had dropped... over Jessie's stomach. Her eyes met mine as the house erupted in cheers and if she hadn't stomped on my heart before she surely did now.
She slept with him... she told me she wouldn't
And now she's pregnant.
—
A/N - Sorry! This was always planned, so... sorry!
Thoughts?