Jayden
"Jayden, release Cameron from his scheming. There is no need to act yet." Silence descends as Jayden glances inexplicably at Henri, whose disbelief is written large on his face. I am paralyzed, my attention riveted to my mother, seeking reassurance of her unwavering support after I execute the impending act.
"Are you hosting a counterparty?" Adeline arrives in the kitchen, accompanied by Astrid, but her expression changes when she makes eye contact with mine.
"I'm sorry," I whisper to her. Adeline knows immediately what I mean; I watch her panic as she takes a step back and bites her lower lip.
"What happened?" Henri insists, "Did I miss something?"
"Sweetheart, don't be offended," my mother warns him, "It's not important..."
"Drop it, Mother. It's not for you to say." The ensuing confusion envelops my stepfather, and aware of the repercussions of my actions, my throat tightens and my body tenses involuntarily.
"I'm in love with Adeline..."
"You're what?" he replies, confused.
"Dad," Adeline interrupts, putting a hand on his arm.
"I love Adeline," I repeat, "I did everything in my power to get away from her and to suppress my feelings. I left when I could, I tried to ignore her, I swear I did everything to make it stop!"
He furrows his eyebrows, finally understanding the seriousness of my confession, and examines me intently. I use this pause in the conversation to continue my explanation, searching for the right words to soften any potential blow to his sensibilities. Unfortunately, his expression hardens and he speaks at length.
"Is this a joke?"
"Henri, I assure you it's not that serious," Cameron interjects, "At first I was a little taken aback by the feelings between them, but..."
"Because the feeling is mutual?" He explodes, turning to his daughter. " Adeline, do you love him as well?" She nods slowly and takes a deep breath.
"I am with him, Father."
Suddenly he turns to me, his eyes narrowed. This is exactly the scenario I was afraid of.
"And everyone knew but me?" He turns to my mother, my brother, and even Astrid, who nods apologetically. That is a surprise.
"And are you okay with that, Mia?" he shouts, "What were you waiting for to tell me?"
"Henri," I sigh, "Mom wasn't..."
"I just found out recently," she cuts me off, determined, "Jayden promised to tell you, and even though it surprised me, it's not up to us to decide who they should date."
"Oh no? So he can date whoever he wants and he chooses my daughter?" He looks at me menacingly.
"I don't want anyone else!"
"She's my daughter!" He yells, lunging at me. Cameron tries to intervene, but I gesture with my head, forbidding him to interfere. Henri grabs my collar and holds it tightly. I stay calm, holding my hands up in front of him, trying to calm him down.
"I love her. I don't want to hurt her or our family. I understand that this is difficult for you to hear, and I assure you, I didn't want this situation to arise."
"Henri, they've done nothing wrong," my mother reassures him. "They're young and..."
"You said it, they're young and this story is pointless!" He releases me and stands a few inches away from me, inspecting me from head to toe.
YOU ARE READING
Despicable Desires
Romance"He is her despicable half-brother. And he drives her mad... For years, he has returned to the family home only on rare occasions, and that suits Ambre just fine. The less she sees of her obnoxious half-brother, the better off she is! So when she le...
