Daddy's Best Friend

39

CHAPTER 39

SOPHIA’S POV

I entered our home that evening, my heart heavy with a mixture of emotions. There they were, Henry and Layla, locked in an embrace that sent a pang of jealousy through me. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of devastation as I watched them hug.

Summoning all the acting skills I had, I approached Layla and forced a smile. "Hi, Layla, it's good to see you."

She returned the smile, her eyes betraying a hint of something I couldn't quite place. "Sophia, how's school been treating you?"

I didn't want to engage in a lengthy conversation with her, but I replied politely, "It's been alright, thanks."

Henry, standing beside Layla, watched our interaction with a discerning eye. His expression was hard to read, but I could tell he was torn between making sure I was comfortable and not upsetting Layla. It was a delicate dance, one that I didn't want to participate in.

Layla, perhaps sensing my discomfort, spoke up. "Well, Henry, I should get going. I came in an Uber, but if it's not too much trouble, could you drive me home?"

Henry's gaze shifted from Layla to me, and there was a silent exchange between them. It was as if they were communicating something I couldn't quite grasp.

Henry finally spoke, his voice tinged with an odd mixture of politeness and tension. "Of course, Layla, I can drop you off."

Layla smiled again, this time at me. She leaned in to give me a hug, and her whisper in my ear sent a shiver down my spine. "He's not for you, Sophia, and you know it."

I pulled back from the hug, my heart racing. What did she mean by that? I watched as she left the house and climbed into Henry's car. She leaving me with a torrent of thoughts and emotions.

I had to confront Henry about Layla's cryptic message. This had gone on long enough, and I needed answers.

I couldn't let Layla's cryptic message slide. It gnawed at me like an itch you just couldn't ignore. As soon as Henry walked back into the house after dropping her off, I knew I had to confront him. My heart pounded in my chest as I prepared for the inevitable argument.

"Henry," I began, my voice laced with frustration, "what was that all about? Why was Layla here?"

He looked at me, his expression a mixture of surprise and irritation. "Sophia, it's not what you think."

I crossed my arms, unimpressed by his attempt to brush this off. "Really? Because it looked like you two were getting cozy."

Henry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Layla needed a ride home, that's all. Nothing happened."

I couldn't help the sarcasm that dripped from my words. "Oh, just a friendly ride home, I see. And what was with her cryptic message? 'He's not for you, Sophia, and you know it.' What the hell does that mean?"

Henry's frustration mirrored my own. "I don't know, Sophia. Layla can be... cryptic sometimes. Maybe she was just being dramatic."

I scoffed, feeling my anger rise. "Dramatic? Henry, this is not some telenovela. You can't just have one woman in your arms one minute and another the next."

He bristled, his patience wearing thin. "Sophia, it's not like that. You're blowing this out of proportion."

I took a step closer to him, my voice trembling with anger. "Am I? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're stringing both of us along."

Henry's jaw tightened, and he raised his voice, matching my intensity. "I am not stringing anyone along, Sophia. Layla and I are just friends."

"Just friends?" I shot back. "Friends don't whisper cryptic messages in each other's ears and then hug like there's no tomorrow!"