In which I fall in love with my brother's best friend.
*****
"Don't pretend like you don't feel anything." His voice is low, sending shivers down my spine.
"What do you mean?"
"You know damn well what I mean."
"I don't know what you're talking about...
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The story Jake has told me is insane. I feel like a hammer just hit me right on my head because it fucking hurts right now.
How can I believe that Camila is the one who has stabbed me behind my back? Did she really betray me?
And has Jake been on my side this entire time? Hell, from what I've heard, he even manipulated the woman who messed with me to get the fuck out of my life.
"You know what, Vaughn?" Jake hisses. "The moment I heard about the rumors between you and Melanie, I wasn't furious like the way I used to be when I heard about some guy trying to be with her. No, I wasn't. In fact, I was thrilled. Thrilled that she finally found someone who was worthy enough to deserve her. Thrilled that it was you, my best friend."
I stare at him like the dumb person that I am. Jake's eyes are filled with fury. I've never seen him so consumed by anger before.
"I'd never entrusted Melanie to any man, until you came up," he says, his jaw tightening. "I thought you were just the perfect man she needed. I thought you could make her happy, cherish her, protect her. But how wrong I was, because Goddammit Vaughn, you tore her heart apart like it's a piece of trash!" he roars.
Hearing those words make me shaking in anger too. But no, I'm not mad at him. I'm mad at myself.
Jake shakes his head in disbelief, his eyes piercing right through me. "It's over, Vaughn. It's over. If I ever see you near Melanie again, you're dead. And I'm going to make sure that I would kill you myself. Don't you ever fucking dare to get to her again." The last sentence is said slowly and very clearly.
I expect that he would punch me in the face, but then he just storms outside the door and leaves. It's funny because a while ago, it was me who wanted to beat him into a bloody pulp.
I'm still unable to move an inch when the person who is responsible for all of this steps out of my bedroom.
Camila.
"Can you tell me what the fuck has just happened?" I bite out, my fist shaking with rage. I don't even need Jake to show me all the proofs because, from the way he spoke to me, I know damn well that he wasn't lying.
But Camila doesn't waver, as if she has expected that it would turn out like this. Like sooner or later, I would have discovered the truth.
"Jake's right," she says, her voice small. "I was in love with him."
I've never been so mad my entire life that I feel like I can destroy everything within my sight right now. Including her. Especially her. "Camila," I hiss. "Don't mess with me--"
"Jake hurt me, okay?" she defends herself. "I was so hurt and broken and lost after he trashed me. Did you know how I got this child?" Her voice is shaking now. "I'd never felt so low my entire life. I'd lost myself when a customer at the bar approached me. I let him touch me, fuck me without protection, and now I'm stuck with this baby!" she cries.
