Three Hearts, One Love(Entangled Hearts Book I)

Chapter 10 Caden's Point of View

I entered the kitchen, and there he was, my father, a towering figure at 6'6", with his dirty blonde hair always impeccably groomed. His presence commanded the room, casting a shadow engulfing everything around. Those light ocean-blue eyes, mirroring mine, held that same distant quality I had grown accustomed to.

A predictable sight that usually meant he had some business in the city, or worse, Daniel was home.

"Sorry for missing your first week of school. We had important clients to deal with," my father said, his words dripping with fake sincerity.

I offered a silent nod, knowing he wouldn't notice. I had grown used to feeling overlooked; it had become a constant companion.

"It's okay, Dad. Is Mom here too?" I ventured, surprised by her absence from the familiar kitchen.

"No, she isn't, but she'll be back at the end of the month to celebrate Paisley's birthday," my father responded with a hint of annoyance at me interrupting his work, the subtle tension in the room palpable.

As I pondered the echoing emptiness within me, my older brother, Daniel, entered the kitchen with a cheerful greeting.

"Good morning, everyone," he chimed in, instantly becoming the center of my father's attention.

"Danny, how was the meeting? Thanks for going," my father happily praised. His focus was solely on Daniel.

I sat there, pushing food around my plate, mechanically consuming the meal our chef had prepared.

While my father continued to dote on Daniel, it struck me as ironic that he was present for Daniel's first day of school, yet I often had to fend for myself during his week-long business trips.

As I listened to my father's evident pride in Daniel, the sense of hollowness within me deepened. I realized it was best to distance myself from this atmosphere of Daniel's glory before my frustrations began to well up.

"Yeah, I've got an early basketball practice. I hope I make captain this year," I said, my words falling on deaf ears as my father kept discussing business with Daniel.

I called Philly, hoping she'd answer. She was likely still asleep, but I needed her comforting presence to ease the painful ache in my heart.

As I scrolled through my phone, considering which girl might be willing to accept company this early, I remembered the promise I made to myself yesterday —no more infidelity. Phillipa deserved better than this, and it was time for me to change my ways. With that in mind, I headed to the school early to practice for the season.

"Hey, I headed to school early to practice for the season, so I'll see you at school," I texted Phillipa, attaching a picture of me on the field as a sign of commitment to rebuilding her trust.

Running on the field helped tire me out physically, which occupied my mind with the pain I pushed my body to endure. After a refreshing shower in the school showers, I felt a momentary sense of clarity.

"Hey, CJ," I heard a girl I barely recognized approach me. She must be a freshman, as I didn't recall her from previous years.

She is pretty, with her red hair cascading down to her waist. I could tell she was a rebel by how short her skirt was.