Daddy's Best Friend

34

CHAPTER 34

HENRY’S POV

What the hell have I done? I can't believe I let myself give in to this... this temptation. She's my best friend's daughter, for God's sake. I promised myself I'd be a guardian, a mentor, not a damn fool.

 I pound the pavement beneath my running shoes, each step feels like a punishment for my own weakness. I should have known better, resisted those tempting lips, those eyes that seem to see right through me. Sophia deserves better than this.

And what about Collins? My oldest friend, a brother almost, entrusting me with his daughter's well-being, and I go and betray that trust. How can I even look him in the eye again?

I never wanted to be that guy, the one who messes everything up. I've always prided myself on being responsible, dependable, and now... I've turned into a cliché. The older man succumbing to the charms of a younger woman, crossing lines that should never be crossed.

But she's not just any woman, is she? She's Sophia, with her quick wit, her intelligence, her spirit. She's not some fling; she's a force to be reckoned with, and she's captured my heart in ways I never anticipated.

I thought I could handle it, keep my distance, maintain our mentor-mentee relationship. But her laughter, her smiles, they wore down my defenses like a battering ram. And now, here I am, full of regrets and self-loathing.

I've always been good at giving advice, guiding others through their problems. But now, when I need it the most, there's no one to turn to. I can't exactly call up Collins and say, "Hey, buddy, I know I promised to protect your daughter, but I messed up big time."

I slow down my pace, my thoughts a jumbled mess. What's done is done, and there's no going back. I can't change the fact that I slept with her, that I let my desire cloud my judgment. But I can control what happens next.

The crisp morning air hit my face as I stepped out onto the quiet suburban street. It was a stark reminder of the cool-headed clarity I so desperately needed at that moment. With every step, I chastised myself for my lack of control, my weakness, my inability to resist temptation.

"How could you, Henry?" I muttered under my breath, my voice tinged with frustration. "You knew better than this."

I picked up the pace, hoping that the physical exertion would somehow purge the guilt that was eating away at me. But the more I ran, the more my thoughts swirled into a chaotic mess.

"What was I thinking?" I asked myself, shaking my head in disbelief. "She's just a kid, for God's sake. And Collins' daughter, no less."

The image of Sophia's sleeping form flashed in my mind, and I cursed myself for allowing that image to lead me astray. It was as if I had temporarily lost my sanity, my moral compass spinning wildly out of control.

As I rounded a corner, my thoughts shifted to Collins. How would he react if he ever found out what had transpired between his daughter and me? He had entrusted me with her well-being, and I had betrayed that trust in the most unforgivable way.

"Collins deserves better," I muttered between labored breaths, my chest heaving with each stride. "I've let him down, and I've let myself down."

But the more I ran, the more I realized that I couldn't outrun my own guilt. No matter how many miles I put between myself and that moment of weakness, it would continue to haunt me.

 I finally slowed to a stop, the morning sun was fully overhead, casting a warm and forgiving light. But there was no forgiveness in my heart, only a heavy burden of regret and remorse.