Daddy's Best Friend

69

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."