Daddy's Best Friend

66

CHAPTER  66

SOPHIA’S POV

The wheels screeched against the runway as the plane landed, bringing us back to a reality I wished was just a bad dream. The car ride home was a silent ordeal, each passing mile carrying with it the weight of unspoken words and shattered dreams.

As we entered the house, the imposing silence felt like a dark cloud hanging over us. My father's disappointment was palpable, and I couldn't escape the harsh reality of his gaze. Kayla, awkwardly caught in the crossfire, tried to diffuse the tension.

"Sophia, sweetheart, let's sit down and talk about this," my father suggested, a futile attempt to bring order to the chaos that had become our lives.

I couldn't look at him; the disappointment in his eyes was a mirror reflecting my own shattered expectations. "Talk? What is there left to talk about, Dad? You've made it clear how you feel."

Collins sighed, his patience wearing thin. "Sophia, I thought what you had for Henry was just a phase, a childish infatuation. But now, seeing you throw away your future for him, it's beyond disappointing."

I felt anger boiling within me. "Throw away my future? Dad, love isn't something you can just turn off like a switch. Henry is not a mistake; he's the person I want to spend my life with."

My father, his frustration evident, shot back, "Life? Sophia, you're barely out of college. You have your whole life ahead of you. This... relationship with Henry is a road to nowhere."

I couldn't hold back my tears. "You don't understand, Dad. We love each other, and that's enough for us."

But my father was unyielding. "Love is not enough, Sophia. It doesn't pay bills or build a future. You need to think about your future."

I stormed away from the living room, unable to bear the weight of my father's disapproval. My tears were an unwelcome companion as I retreated to my sanctuary – my childhood room. The familiar walls felt suffocating, closing in on me as if to emphasize the enormity of the choices I had made.

As I tried to collect myself, my father entered the room, holding my phone and laptop. "If you want to act like a child, Sophia, then I'll treat you like one. No more devices until you come to your senses."

I snatched my phone from his hands, my frustration bubbling over. "You can't control my life, Dad! I'm an adult."

He shook his head, his disappointment lingering in the air. "An adult who's making childish decisions. If you're so convinced this is the right path, then live with the consequences."

Left alone in the silence of my room, I stared at my now-useless phone, feeling the weight of my decisions pressing down on me. The freedom I had once cherished now felt like a prison.

I sat on the edge of my bed, surrounded by the remnants of a life that seemed to crumble before my eyes. The knock on the door was hesitant, and when it opened, Kayla stepped in, her eyes carrying a mix of sympathy and understanding.

"Can we talk?" she asked, her voice gentle.

I looked at her, ready to snap, but something in her expression softened the edges of my frustration. "Fine," I muttered, gesturing for her to take a seat.

She perched on the edge of my desk, her gaze locked with mine. "Sophia, I want you to know that I'm not here to defend your dad. I don't agree with what he's doing."

I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You don't?"

"No," she affirmed. "Sophia, I've known you for years. You're not a child making rash decisions. You're an adult who knows what she wants."