My Dad's Bestfriend

Chapter 55 Broken Hearts

Evelyn

"What... what did you say?" I stammered, my hands dropping back to my sides, my eyes fixated on his figure.

My heart literally stopped. Yes, I'd felt it skip a beat many times, especially whenever my gaze landed on Jacob. But today, there was something terrifying about the way it ceased to beat. It was as if my entire world had crumbled, and every fiber of my being could only register those few words escaping his lips. Words that I could scarcely believe came from him-the man who, just a few hours ago, had told me that I was the only one he'd ever love.

No! This had to be some cruel joke...

He couldn't possibly be serious.

I watched as he exhaled a sigh, taking a drag and releasing the smoke into the air. His unaffected demeanor was already starting to infuriate me. How could he remain so composed while uttering words that were fucking breaking my heart into a thousand pieces?

"I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark, Evelyn. I just can't get over Chloe," My heartbreaker couldn't care less about meeting my gaze; instead, he seemed to find solace in the expanse of the sky, completely oblivious to the fact that he was crushing my entire world beneath his feet, "It will always be her. Only her."

Please let this be a joke.....please please, please.

"You're joking, right?" Once again, my voice trembled, sounding almost like a desperate plea for him to admit it was all just a cruel jest. I loathed the way I sounded, so utterly vulnerable. But perhaps that's why some people avoid catching feelings they make you feel pathetic.© NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

He remained silent for a few agonizing seconds, still composed and collected. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I was confused, torn between the past and this... uncertain present. It was a momentary attraction, something I thought would help me forget Chloe, but I couldn't. She's been my forever, and she always will be," He paused, finally turning to face me. His eyes held none of the warmth I'd seen in them all these days; they were unfamiliar and frigid, a strange shade of green. "There will never be room for another woman. She will always be the one I love."

'A momentary attraction,' he said...

His words hit me like a freight train, and I almost stumbled backward. God, he probably had no idea how deeply his words cut me. In fact, I wasn't sure if I fully comprehended the extent of my pain. It should be physically impossible to feel one's heart breaking into pieces, but why did it feel like every damn shard was shattering and falling away?

Was he actually serious?

"Even... even just a few hours ago, you told me you loved me," I struggled to piece my words together, my voice wavering. "And now, you expect me to believe that you've had a sudden change of heart? Suddenly realized that Chloe is the one for you. The same woman who put you through hell, the one you wanted to forget?"

"Sometimes, things change in an instant, Evelyn. You don't realize what's missing until that moment arrives. You don't grasp who you truly need in your life until it hits you-it's a sudden epiphany, and I'm sorry it took me a while to realize that it's her I want, not you. I—"

"A while?" I chuckled bitterly, my emotions spiraling out of control, spilling over. "So what was I to you, then? Were all those moments we spent together worth less to you than a few minutes talking to your damn ex? Are you even hearing yourself?!"

He remained silent. It wasn't that he couldn't answer; it was a deliberate choice not to respond.

Everything was fine, even moments ago and now, all of it was collapsing right before my eyes and I could do nothing.

"Answer the damn question, Jacob!" I yelled, seizing his collar and pulling him closer. "Tell me, was everything between us just a game for you? A rebound to help you forget your ex?"

His gaze locked onto my face, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a hint of softness in his eyes. But it was short-lived, quickly replaced by that same chilling coldness. "Yes, it was. I used it to forget her, all along. And now that she's back, I don't think we should continue this any longer."

Damn him!

Rage surged through the cracks he'd created with his words. "What do you fucking think of me, Jacob? Someone you can use and discard whenever it suits you?" My jaw clenched as I continued, my voice resolute. "I'm not some cheap fling you can exploit to erase your ex-lover and then toss aside like a used tissue. I am a person with emotions, not an object! And you have no right to treat me this way!"

"I never called you an object, Evelyn. Those are your words."

"Words that you've pushed me to say," I shot back, my anger boiling over, "Your cruel denials of everything we've shared, your sudden desire to crawl back to your fucking ex, the same woman you called a nobody, countless

times you're the one who's de

me to this point," I spat out bitterly. "If you knew you couldn't get over your ex, then why the hell did you let things go this far? Why did you give in? Or was it all just about fucking a virgin? Your ex wasn't one when you were together, was she? So you decided to enjoy yourself with me and now plan to return to her? Is that what you wanted the whole time?!" Tears streamed down my cheeks, a testament to the raw pain coursing through me.

"Evelyn, it's not like that at all," he tried to break free from my grip, avoiding my gaze.

"Then what the hell is it, Jacob?" I demanded, my voice quivering. I didn't want to cry, but he had torn me apart with his words, and there was no turning back. The damage had been done, irreparably, "Why did you make me believe you loved me? Why did you treat me like I was your whole world, just as you were mine? Why did you make me feel like that and make those promises if you never loved me? Why did you do this to me?!" "I tried to love you. I gave it my best shot, but I ended up failing," Jacob confessed, his voice devoid of any emotion, his eyes cold and distant, fuck, how had I never felt that there was a side to him that was this cruel, "This isn't how I wanted it to be, but feelings aren't something I can control. It wouldn't be fair to keep lying to you about loving you when it's not true."

"Don't you dare talk to me about what's fair and not," I snapped, tightening my grip on his collar. I stared into his eyes, making sure he saw the pain and anger in mine, the damage he caused, "You play me all these days, tell me lies, give me promises that you don't mean, and now you suddenly decide to talk about fair and unfair? Fuck you! The truth is, you used me, and now that you've had your fill, you're going back to your ex. You should be utterly ashamed of yourself," I seethed.

"Evelyn..."

"No, don't say a word," I interrupted

him, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and sorrow, "You're so selfish. All you care about is yourself, and here I thought I'd found the love of my life, someone who would stand by me through thick and thin. God, I was so foolish, bitterly chuckled as more tears streamed down my face. "Now, I can't even recognize the man I loved. It was all a lie. You were playing me this whole time, even when... you promised me you'd never leave me. You promised me this morning...damn, I blindly trusted you," A sob escaped my lips as I finally released my grip on him, stepping away.

He stared at me in silence, his thoughts shrouded in mystery, much like the impassive expression on his face. I couldn't tell if there was anything beneath the surface, or if what I was seeing now had been the truth all along.

I had been so naive not to see it...

"I'm not leaving you, Evelyn. I'm trying to save you," he finally spoke, his voice suddenly carrying a weight, "Saving you from someone who can never love you with their whole heart, who can't make the sacrifices or keep you truly happy. In my heart, there will always be a place for the woman I love. I can only love her, and no one else. Until my last breath, I'll continue to love her, whether from a distance or up close. She's the reason my heart beats, and I don't think I can ever love anyone else."

I realized then that I didn't know this side of Jacob. He knew how to break hearts, and he had executed it flawlessly, without a single misstep. "So this is it, huh? You're playing the good guy again?" I offered a melancholic smile, wiping my tears away with the back of my hand, "But you're not. You're cruel, selfish, and a messed-up person who kept me around until you got what you wanted. I thought Chloe was the only one to blame, but now I'm beginning to doubt everything. Maybe you deserve the way she treated you because it's what you need. I should have listened to my mother when she said you and Chloe would eventually get back together, but I... God, I'm so foolish," I laughed bitterly.

Why were the tears not stopping?

"I'm sorry, Evelyn. I'm sorry for everything," This was the only moment in our entire conversation when his eyes mirrored the words his mouth spoke.

He appeared genuinely remorseful, but did I care? Not at all. He could go to hell with the so-called love of his life. He had already inflicted enough damage upon me.

"I fucking loved you, Jacob! Do you

hear me?! I loved you-I loved you against all reason, against all odds, against... everyone," I could barely hold myself together. It felt as though I wasn't facing a person but an impending storm, one that would inevitably destroy me. It was hard to stifle the sobs, even harder to speak. I felt myself withering away from within. "And in return, you shattered my heart. I should have known you'd never love me. But I took the plunge. I should shoulder the blame. I should never have let you go beyond that

casual fling. I should have kept my emotions in check. Thank you for the lesson, Mr. Jacob Adriano.

You've burned a bridge in the cruelest way possible, and congratulations, you have left no traces so no one will ever know."

I took one final glance at him—the heartbreak masquerading as love that I had thought would last forever-it was almost unbelievable, like a nightmare. I had envisioned an entire lifetime with him. Then, without wasting another moment, I turned away and walked off, suppressing my tears and sobs until I reached my room. And there, finally, I broke down, shattering into countless pieces. The promises he made now felt like empty

echoes in my mind.

"He doesn't want me...he wants her," I whispered to myself, my breathing getting heavier, the sound of it buzzing into my own ears. I felt like everything was slipping away from my hands when in reality it was just a person.

I crumbled to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, "I gave you my heart, Jacob, and you shattered it without a second thought. You were my world, and now it's all gone. How could you do this to me?"

The room remained silent, offering no solace, and I continued to cry, my heartache echoing in the empty spaces between my broken sobs― Jacob Adriano was the greatest mistake of my life, the sole reason for my demolition.