Chapter 69
Collin’S POV
The room felt suffocating, the weight of the truth bearing down on me. My daughter, Sophia, entangled with Henry, my so-called best friend. How could they keep this from me? Betrayal was a bitter pill to swallow, and the echoes of their secret liaison reverberated in my mind.
Just as I was wrestling with these thoughts, Kayla, my girlfriend, entered the room. She approached me cautiously, sensing the storm brewing within. "Collins, we need to talk about this. Sophia and Henry might deserve a chance."
I shot her a look that could melt steel. "Kayla, this is my family we're talking about. I don't need your input on how to handle it."
She crossed her arms, her eyes reflecting defiance. "Collins, I'm your girlfriend. I care about you, and I care about Sophia. Maybe you should consider giving them a chance to explain."
I scoffed, bitterness seeping into my words. "Explain what, Kayla? That they've been lying to me? That they've been sneaking around behind my back?"
She took a step closer, her voice unwavering. "Maybe there's more to the story than you know. Maybe they had reasons for keeping it from you."
I stood up, frustration bubbling within me. "Reasons? There's no excuse for this betrayal, Kayla. No excuse for them not trusting me with the truth."
She shook her head, her eyes flashing with determination. "Collins, I'm not saying what they did was right, but shutting them out won't solve anything. Give them a chance to explain, to apologize."
I pointed a finger at her, my anger escalating. "Don't meddle in my family affairs, Kayla. I won't have you turning this into some soap opera."
Her response was swift and fiery. "Soap opera or not, Collins, I won't stand by and watch you push away the people you love. Sophia is your daughter, and Henry has been your friend for years. They're not disposable."
I felt a surge of frustration and helplessness. "Kayla, this is not your concern. I won't have you meddling and jeopardizing my relationship with Sophia."
She took a deep breath, her voice cutting through the tension. "Collins, I care about you, but if you're going to shut me out because of your family, then maybe we need to rethink our relationship."
The room hung heavy with tension, and Kayla's words lingered in the air like an unwelcome guest. She had laid down an ultimatum, and I found myself grappling with the consequences of my decisions.
"Kayla, I'm sorry if this is difficult for you. But you need to understand, this involves my daughter. My blood. Flesh of my flesh," I said, my voice a mix of frustration and helplessness.
She crossed her arms, her eyes flashing determination. "Collins, Sophia is not a child. She's an adult, and you can't control her life. She deserves a chance to make her own choices, even if you don't agree with them."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "This is not about controlling her, Kayla. It's about guiding her, protecting her from making mistakes that could hurt her in the long run."
Kayla shook her head, a smirk playing on her lips. "Guiding or controlling, Collins? You're treating her like a kid who needs her daddy to make decisions for her. She's a grown woman capable of making her own choices."
I felt a surge of frustration. "She's making a bad choice, Kayla. Henry is not the right man for her, and I won't stand by and watch her ruin her life."
She stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "Who decides what's right or wrong for her? You? Henry might be the right man for her, or he might not be. But she won't know unless she's given the chance to figure it out herself."
I clenched my fists, my patience wearing thin. "Kayla, you're not seeing the bigger picture. This isn't just about their relationship; it's about trust, about honesty. They lied to me, Kayla."
Her gaze remained unwavering. "Maybe there's a reason they kept it from you. Maybe they were afraid of how you'd react. Did you ever consider that?"
I scoffed, frustration bubbling to the surface. "Afraid? They should be afraid of the consequences of their actions. Keeping this from me has changed everything, and I won't pretend it hasn't."
She leaned in, her voice a whisper of defiance. "Collins, you're pushing away your daughter, your friend, and now me. Is it worth it?"
I took a deep breath, attempting to collect my thoughts. "I'm not pushing anyone away, Kayla. I'm trying to protect the people I care about."
She shot back with fervor, "Protecting or isolating, Collins? There's a fine line, and you're dangerously close to crossing it."
The room seemed to shrink, the weight of our argument pressing down on us. I couldn't deny the truth in her words, but the fear of losing control over the situation fueled my stubbornness.
"Kayla, I care about you, but I can't let Sophia make a mistake that will haunt her forever," I said, my tone resolute.
She sighed, her eyes reflecting disappointment. "Collins, sometimes the harder you grip, the more slips through your fingers. Think about that." With those parting words, she left me alone in the suffocating silence of my thoughts.
****
I entered Sophia's room, and the air seemed thick with tension. She sat on her bed, her eyes avoiding mine as if afraid to meet the disappointment etched on my face. I took a deep breath, attempting to steady myself for a conversation that had the potential to unravel what was left of our fragile relationship.
"Sophia, you need to eat something," I said, my voice a blend of concern and frustration.
She looked up, her eyes reflecting defiance. "I'm not hungry, Dad."
I couldn't suppress the exasperation in my voice. "You can't keep doing this to yourself, Sophia. You're letting this man consume you, and it's affecting your health."
She shrugged, a bitter smile playing on her lips. "Maybe if you had let me make my own choices, I wouldn't be in this situation."
I took a step closer, my hands clenched at my sides. "Sophia, this is not about control. It's about ensuring you have a future, a future that isn't marred by the mistakes of the present."
She scoffed, her eyes blazing with defiance. "A future without Henry? Dad, you don't get it. He is my future."
I sighed, frustration mounting. "Sophia, you're talking about sacrificing everything for a man. What if it doesn't work out? What if he leaves, or worse, hurts you?"
She stood up, anger etched on her face. "What if I'm happy, Dad? What if he makes me happy? Isn't that what you should want for me?"
I ran a hand through my hair, struggling to find the right words. "Sophia, happiness shouldn't come at the cost of your well-being. Henry lied to me, Sophia. He kept this from me, and you did too."
She glared at me, her tone sharp. "You would've never approved, Dad. You would've tried to control it, to stop us. We just wanted a chance to be together without judgment."
I shook my head, frustration and helplessness intertwining. "It's not just about my approval, Sophia. It's about trust. You and Henry betrayed my trust."
She laughed bitterly, her eyes welling up with tears. "Trust? Dad, you don't trust me to make my own choices. You want to control every aspect of my life, and I can't live like that."
I took a deep breath, my voice steady. "I'm your father, Sophia. My job is to protect you, guide you. If that means making tough decisions, then so be it."
Her eyes hardened, and she whispered, "You're not protecting me, Dad. You're suffocating me."
The room seemed to close in on us, the weight of our words hanging in the air. I wanted to bridge the gap between us, but the chasm felt insurmountable.
"Sophia," I began, my voice softer, "I just want what's best for you."
She wiped away a tear, her gaze unwavering. "What's best for me, Dad, is being with Henry. Can't you see that?"
Our argument echoed in the silence that followed, a stark reminder of the growing divide between us.
I sat across from Sophia, the weight of our disagreement settling heavily in the room. The air was thick with tension as we exchanged glances, each word becoming a battlefield in a war we never intended to fight.
"Sophia," I began, my voice a mix of frustration and desperation. "I've loved you from the moment you came into our lives. It doesn't matter that you're adopted; you're my daughter, and that love is real."
She looked at me, her eyes cold with resolve. "Dad, love isn't a bargaining chip. You can't use it to control me."
I sighed, my fingers tapping an impatient rhythm on the table. "Sophia, I'm not trying to control you. I just want what's best for you."
She leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "And I know what's best for me, Dad. It's Henry."
I shook my head, struggling to contain my frustration. "Sophia, you're throwing away everything – your education, your future – for a man who lied to both of us."
Her tone sharpened, cutting through the air like a knife. "He lied because he knew you'd react like this. You've never trusted me to make my own choices."
I leaned back, trying to find the right words. "It's not about trust, Sophia. It's about ensuring you have a future, one that isn't compromised by impulsive decisions."
She scoffed, her eyes defiant. "Impulsive decisions? Dad, I love him. This isn't impulsive; it's a choice I'm making for myself."
I rubbed my temples, feeling the strain of the conversation. "Sophia, staying here isn't a solution. You need to think about your future, your education."
She crossed her arms, a challenging glint in her eyes. "I can continue my education here. There are plenty of good universities."
I sighed, realizing that reasoning with her was becoming increasingly difficult. "Sophia, you're shutting yourself off from opportunities. You can't see beyond this moment, this relationship."
She leaned back, her expression defiant. "Maybe I don't want those opportunities if they mean being away from Henry."
I looked at her, my heart heavy with concern. "Sophia, love isn't everything. You need a plan, a future that doesn't hinge on a relationship."
Her eyes softened for a moment, a fleeting glimpse of vulnerability. "Dad, I'm not a child. I can make my own decisions, even if they're mistakes."
I leaned forward, my tone pleading. "Sophia, I just want you to have a better life than I could provide. I want you to be happy, successful."
She shook her head, a sad smile on her lips. "My happiness is with Henry, Dad. Can't you accept that?"
I looked down, frustration and helplessness gnawing at me. "Sophia, I've always tried to give you the best. Can't you see I'm doing this out of love?"
She sighed, her voice softer. "Dad, I know you love me. But love shouldn't be a cage, and right now, I feel trapped."
I felt powerless, watching my daughter slip away, choosing a path that I feared would lead to heartbreak.