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The international break had finally arrived, and with it, a chance for Trent to head to London and reunite with Imani.
It was supposed to be a time to focus on football and reconnect with Imani, but the air was thick with tension, especially whenever Jude was around.
From the moment they arrived, Jude had been distant, his usual friendly demeanor replaced with cold stares and snappy responses. Trent noticed it during training, where Jude barely acknowledged him, and even more so when Jude completely ignored Imani after she captured some behind-the-scenes content for the team's social media accounts.
The tension finally boiled over after a particularly intense training session. As the players were winding down, Imani posted a series of photos and videos highlighting the camaraderie of the team. It was harmless content, designed to engage the fans, but it struck a nerve with Jude. He stormed over to where Imani was standing near the pitch, his face a mask of anger.
"Jude, what's going on?" Imani asked, sensing the hostility radiating off him.
Jude didn't hold back. "What's going on? You really want to know?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a knife. "Do you even realize what you're doing? Posting all this stuff, acting like everything's fine when it's not!"
Trent, who had been watching from a distance, quickly joined them, his concern growing. "Jude, take it easy," he said, trying to defuse the situation.
But Jude's anger wasn't something that could be easily tempered. He turned on Trent, his eyes blazing. "You too, Trent. How could you? You were his brother. You were there when Jobe was heartbroken after the breakup with Imani. How could you do this to him?"
Trent felt the words hit him like a punch. He had been Jobe's confidant, his support system during those dark days after the breakup. He had seen firsthand how devastated Jobe had been, and now he was the one with Imani. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way," Trent began, his voice filled with regret. "I didn't plan for it, Jude. I care about Imani, but I never wanted to hurt Jobe."
Jude shook his head, disbelief etched across his face. "Sorry doesn't cut it, Trent. Jobe looked up to you, trusted you, and you just stepped over him to get what you wanted. You don't even know the half of it-he's only just started playing football again. Do you know how much you've affected him?"
Imani's heart sank at Jude's words. She had known Jobe had struggled after their breakup, but hearing how deeply it had affected him tore at her. "Jude, I never meant to hurt him," she whispered, her voice trembling with guilt.
Jude wasn't done. He took a step closer, his voice dropping as he delivered the final blow. "Well, you did. But it doesn't matter anymore, because Jobe's moved on. He's with someone now-her name's Lily. And you know what? She's better for him than you ever were. She's been there for him in ways you and Trent never were."
The revelation left Trent stunned. He hadn't known Jobe was in a new relationship, let alone that it was serious. It should have been good news, but instead, it felt like another reminder of how much he had let Jobe down.
Jude looked between Trent and Imani, the anger in his eyes now mixed with a deep sadness. "You both need to think about what you've done. Jobe's moving on, but that doesn't erase the hurt you caused. And Trent, if you care about him at all, maybe it's time you started acting like it."
With that, Jude turned and walked away, leaving Trent and Imani standing there, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. They had both made choices that had led them to this moment, but now, they were left to face the consequences-together, but also painfully aware of the damage that had already been done.
