And If... {completed and edited 2024}

And If... He had NEVER done this to us ?

•Chapter 21.
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TINASHE'S POV:

"Wow...this is mind blowing. Is it a joke ? " Brett asked, looking at me as if I was crazy.

I shook my head, "unfortunately, this is not a joke. My father, if you can even call him like this, really did it. He forced my...ex-boyfriend to break up with me by threatening him."

"What were those threats about ? " Stacy then asked, frowning.

"His family and I, and indirectly RJ. He told him that he'll hurt me if he had to."

"Damn ! All of this shit just because he couldn't stand the young man you fell in love with ? You were never living your life for him, did he know that ? "

"I don't know, B. I just know that the man who raised me is a maniac."

"Did you confront him about that ? " Stacy continued the interrogation.

"Not yet, but I'm going to, today. I just needed to talk with y'all, so you can help me to put my shit together up there." I pointed my head with my index finger.

"What's going on ? " They gave me their undivided attentions.

"What should I do with Richard ? I mean, now that I know the truth, it's changing everything. He never cheated, he never stopped loving me, and he's still crazy in love with me."

They hummed simultaneously, before Stacy started talking. "Well...this is how he feels, but how do you feel ? Do you still live him ? And If you do, do you think that y'all can make it through and get back together ? Or is it completely dead to you ? "

"Well..." I paused, thinking carefully about my next words. "I'm going to stop lying to myself first off and admit that I've never stopped having feelings for him."

"That we already knew. Every time another woman was approaching him or giving him any type of attention, you were ready to kill a bitch. If you really didn't care nor love him like this anymore, you wouldn't be acting this way." Brett said and I nodded, agreeing with her.

I tried to convince myself of the opposite for so long, but I was now so tired to lie to myself. I couldn't continue to be afraid by the truth anymore. I still loved Richard and as of right now I could do nothing to change it. The heart knows what it wants, and honestly I didn't really want it to change.

After RJ, I could say that Richard had the biggest part of my heart. He was my first everything and I'd never been able to see myself in the company of another man. I couldn't get involved romantically with someone else because deep down, Richard had always been the one for me and I'd never really planned to replace him.

Now, we had a second chance at love. We could finally be together and freely love one another.

Well, could we really though ?

My father was still around and I didn't think he would be happy about this, not that I really cared, but he was going to be a problem. He'd been a huge problem in our relationship, but it couldn't keep going this way. He had to let me live my life the way I wanted it to. If he wasn't happy, then it'll be on him and only him.

I'll gladly cut him off.

I'll let nobody block my blessings and prevent me to enjoy my life and find my happiness. I didn't want him to be involved anyways. Not after everything he had done. I gave him so many chances, but now I didn't have the patience anymore.

"So...what do I do ? "

"Don't jump into a relationship like right now. You need time to get yourself together, mainly after what you just found out. Rushing things won't help. I don't think you and Richard can just pick up where you left your relationship at six years ago, mostly when you actually left it on a break up. Y'all have to work on your friendship first, then you slowly get to be romantically involved again. But first, you really need to fix what's been broken. I think doing all of this will help you to clarify your mind as well, so you'll know exactly how to go about all of this."