Between Us

Chapter 20 : Blurred Lines

I sat in the car with Jax, the city's skyscrapers towering around us like silent sentinels. The hum of traffic and distant honking filled the air, but inside the car, it was tense and quiet. I adjusted the rearview mirror, my eyes scanning the building's entrance as Jax fidgeted beside me.

"What are we doing here, Engfa?" Jax asked for the umpteenth time, his patience wearing thin. I kept my gaze fixed on the building, ignoring his question.

Suddenly, the door to the building opened, and I spotted Charlotte's father stepping out, making his way to a sleek, black luxury car. My pulse quickened as I straightened in my seat, my eyes tracking his every move.

"Jax, be quiet," I muttered, my voice tense. He sighed heavily but complied, following my gaze to the scene outside.

"Seriously, what's going on?" he pressed again. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

"Do you still keep in touch with your hacker friend, uh... what's his name?" I asked, glancing at him. Jax frowned, clearly puzzled by my question.

"Who, Leon?" Jax replied, furrowing his brow. "Yeah, why?"

I handed him a document, the edges worn from my constant handling. Jax scanned the papers, his frown deepening. "What's this? And why is there a photo of your dad on it?"

I took a deep breath, organizing my thoughts. "I found it the day we broke into Charlotte's house. It was in her father's office. I think there's a connection between my dad and her father, something we don't know about."

Jax ran a hand through his hair, clearly overwhelmed. "Are you sure? Maybe you're just imagining things."

"Maybe," I admitted, my voice tense with frustration. "But I feel like there's something bigger here. I need Leon to look into her dad's company, see if he can dig up anything unusual."

Jax sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Okay, but this sounds like a wild goose chase. Why don't you just ask Charlotte?"

"I don't want to drag her into this mess. Besides, she hates me now," I said, my voice cracking slightly. Jax sighed, a mix of sympathy and frustration in his eyes.

"We haven't talked about it much, but you really messed things up with her," he said gently. I clenched my fists, the pain of my actions still raw.

I sighed, staring out the window. "It wouldn't have worked out anyway. We're from different worlds. She's rich, and I'm just... nobody."

Jax cut me off. "Don't start with that crap again. You're not a nobody, Engfa. You're more than enough."

I shook my head, feeling a lump in my throat. "Charlotte deserves someone who can give her everything. Someone with money, stability, a future. I can't give her any of that."

Jax reached over and squeezed my shoulder. "Listen, it's not about money or stability. It's about the connection you two have. I've seen the way you look at her, and trust me, that's rare. You can't just throw that away."

I sighed, my thoughts drifting to Pichy. "Even if that were true, Charlotte will never forgive me for Pichy."

Jax's expression turned serious. "Did you really sleep with Pichy?"

I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "Does it matter? Whether I did or didn't, Charlotte and I weren't official."

Jax let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head. "That's not the point, Engfa. It's not about whether you were official or not. It's about trust and respect. You can't just go around messing with people's feelings like that."

I blew out a frustrated breath and started the car, the engine's rumble a brief distraction from my thoughts. "It's not like it was ever going to be anything serious." I said, my voice light and dismissive.