My Dad's Bestfriend

Chapter 129 Evermore

Evelyn

My feet seemed to resist every step toward Jacob's apartment. Every fiber of my being yearned to distance myself from him. Yet, I knew I had to go back. Despite the turmoil that life and Tyler had thrown our way, I understood Jacob's desperation to find a solution.

Even though I wanted to blame him entirely for kissing Chloe, I couldn't.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the apartment door and stepped inside. Jacob was pacing back and forth, his face damp, likely from splashing water on it-judging by the open tap at the sink. His movements were frantic as he continuously called, presumably for me.

Well...My phone died halfway here. I'd received numerous calls from him during the taxi ride, but I couldn't bring myself to answer.

"God, Evelyn. Please pick up," he pleaded, his restlessness palpable.

Just as he turned, perhaps to leave the apartment in search of me something he likely did multiple times judging by his disheveled appearance our eyes met.

His eyes widened in surprise, but a moment later, his shoulders sagged in relief.

"Baby..." he began to approach me, but I raised my hand and delivered a tight slap across his face as if it had been itching to do so, just when he tried to hug me.

Finally...peace

His head turned from the force of the blow, reopening the small cut I had given him at the hotel while catching him with Chloe. After a moment, he looked at me, "Yes, I deserved it. But can we please " Before he could say anything more, I landed another slap across his face.

"You don't deserve just a few slaps. You deserve so much worse than that, you piece of shit," I seethed, grabbing him by his collars and pulling him closer, my gaze piercing into his eyes. "You fucking kissed her! Do you even fucking comprehend what I felt watching you kiss that bitch?! Do you even have an idea of what you did?!"

"I'm sorry, baby..." he sighed, guilt evident in his eyes. "That kiss...please, trust me, it didn't mean anything. I know I screwed up, but—"

"Yes, you fucking screwed up, again. Just like you did in America," I spat. "Just tell me one thing, Jacob. Just one thing, and I'm willing to forget it all, okay? Just tell me... when will you fucking stop letting your ex get into our lives? When are you ever going to do that?!"

"Evelyn..." he sighed, his voice low, tears welling in his eyes. "I'm sorry. Trust me, I didn't want to. It just—"

"I don't care about your pathetic explanations. All I care about is what I saw," I interrupted. "You lied to me, went behind my back to meet that bitch, and kissed her! I can forgive all your mistakes, Jacob, except when it's another woman!" Tears streamed down my cheeks, the emotional turmoil overwhelming me. And those moments kept replaying in my mind-how his lips met hers. I couldn't just forget it, and I doubted I ever would. "Baby, listen to me..." he cupped my face, drawing me closer, his fingers finding their way to my cheeks as he wiped away my tears.

"No, let me go..." I tried to pull away, but he held me firmly, pulling me down to sit on the ground with him. He cradled the back of my head and gently rubbed my back.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered, repeating the words continuously as his hand continued to comfort me until the first sob wracked through my body. "You bastard..." I cried, my voice barely more than a whimper. "You kissed her!"

"I'm sorry-I know it's the worst thing I could have done. I'm sorry, and it'll never happen again," he confessed, his voice heavy with remorse, and I hated how much I wanted to believe him already.

"A sorry doesn't fix it!" I pulled away to look at him. "You let her fucking touch you. You let her have what was mine. You gave my right to someone else, even if it was just for a moment-what matters is that-you still fucking did it. I might never be able to forget it. Forgiving often creates a wall that never goes away. Do you understand what you've done? I could have decided to sleep with Tyler out of revenge, out of the same desperation like you. What would have happened to us then? Do you understand how dangerous your desperation can be for us?"

He stayed silent for a few moments, his shoulders slumped, his eyes teary as he let out a trembling sigh. "I don't know how to fix this, Evie. I... don't know. And it's tearing me apart to even think about what I've done. But trust me, that kiss didn't mean anything know it doesn't make it any better to say so, but it's the truth. She called me, telling me she had proof of how Tyler spread those false media reports and paid female employees in my company to lie that I'd touched them inappropriately. I was desperate, dying to make things better for us, drunk, and not thinking straight, so I agreed to kiss her. And it happened because of that-not a single part of my body enjoyed it, Evie. I hated it from the moment my lips touched hers. It was sickening, it made me feel sick to my core. Please forgive me, baby..." he sniffled, grasping my hands, his tears falling on the back of my hand,Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

twisting my heart.

God...

I knew he wasn't lying. His eyes had never lied, and just like every other time, today too, his eyes told the truth.

"Is this the whole truth?" I found myself asking. "Are you hiding anything else from me?"

"I swear on my dead mother, Evie. I'm not keeping anything from you," he promised. "Please trust me one more time, baby. Just once more."

Should I forgive him just like that? Forgiving him wouldn't erase the scene from my mind-it would linger for days, maybe months, or even years. But what was I supposed to do? Push him away and become another of his problems instead of his home?

No. I refused to be his problem. We had our whole lives to work through these issues, but in this tough time, if I let go of his hand because of my anger and pain, I'd never forgive myself.

"It's okay," I finally sighed, extending my arms. "Come here."

Without hesitation, Jacob embraced me, pulling me as close as he could, and burying his face into my chest "I'm sorry..." he sniffled, "I know screwed up again. And I know an apology won't fix it, but I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry, Evelyn."

"It's okay," I assured him, pushing his hair back and placing a kiss atop his head, rubbing his back. "We're okay."

"Please don't leave me," his voice trembled. "I won't make it without you by my side. Please."

"I'll never leave you, Jacob," I whispered. "From the moment I realized I loved you, I was there to stay and I will be there. Always and forever. Evermore."