Chapter - 264
Rick ca out of the hospital and saw Sharon sitting on her Harley Davidson, her posture unmistakably tense. Dressed in a red denim jacket over a black top, with dark blue tight denim jeans, her hair, tied back in a ponytail. As Rick stepped closer towards her, her face showed disappointnt, her eyes fixed on him with a knowing look. She didn't move, just watched, waiting for him to approach.
As Rick spotted Sharon on her Harley, a heavy sigh ford in his mind. After the exhausting, chaotic day he had just endured, all he wanted was to return ho to Jemimah and escape into a night of solace with her. But now, standing in front of him, was another headache he wasn't ready for.
"What now?" he thought, annoyance creeping in. Why was Sharon here? What did she want this ti? But then, a glimr of opportunity flashed in his thoughts—a sly grin flickering internally. Maybe, just maybe, he could use this mont to turn things around, and who knows, perhaps the system could give him a push towards a more enjoyable outco tonight.
He straightened his posture, putting on a casual, almost playful expression as he sauntered over to Sharon. His lips curved into a smirk, masking the fatigue behind a front of confidence. "Well, this is a surprise," Rick said, his voice light with a hint of teasing. "Good to see you here, Sharon. Happy and surprised to know you're checking in on ."
His eyes glimred with a mischievous glint, though his face remained composed—amused, curious, yet hiding his true intentions behind that easy-going charm.
Sharon's face twisted into a mix of frustration and anger as Rick approached, her eyes narrowing slightly at his attitude. She gave him an annoyed look, her jaw tight and eyes cold. "Happy to see you're unhard from the accident," she said, her voice edged with bitterness, "but don't get it twisted. I'm not here to check up on you."
Rick, playing it cool, gave her a wide-eyed, innocent look, pretending as if he had no idea what she was talking about. His expression was one of mock confusion, eyebrows raised slightly as if to say, "What could you possibly an?"
But Sharon wasn't buying it. Her frustration deepened, a shadow of betrayal flickering across her face. "Don't lie to , Rick," she snapped, her tone firm but laced with a hint of hurt. "I can make things difficult for you, and you know that."
Rick kept his expression neutral, but his mind was already racing, wondering what exactly she had discovered.
"You told that the guy in the truck," she continued, eyes blazing, "was after you because you slept with his wife—without knowing she was married, right?" She let out a sharp breath, her voice growing louder, the frustration bubbling to the surface. "Well, guess what? I checked. The guy was never married."
Rick's face remained calm, but internally, he was cursing himself. Sharon pressed on, clearly not done. "I even looked into his recent girlfriend—long-term, mind you—and she doesn't have a clue who the hell you are. So, Rick…" She took a step closer, her tone dripping with frustration and a hint of betrayal. "You want to tell what's really going on?"
Rick said nothing, just holding her gaze with that look of innocence.
Sharon's expression tightened, her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes glaring at him with a mix of anger and disbelief. "I found out that your father has been seen with the guy," she spat, her voice sharp. "Not only that, but there were a few calls between them. And, guess what? He called him just a few hours before the accident."
She crossed her arms, staring Rick down, her voice low and dangerous now. "They were even seen together at the supermarket, so don't bullshit . Spill the beans, Rick. Make everything clear right now, or be ready to be… inconvenienced." Her eyes flashed with a frustrated challenge.
Rick's face imdiately shifted into an expression of shock, his eyes widening as Sharon's accusations hit him. For a mont, his usually quick mind faltered, and he struggled to find the right words. But, as if sothing clicked, Rick's deanour changed. He hesitated, acting as if he was struggling with his response, his hand rubbing the back of his neck, as if embarrassed by what he was about to say.
"Well…" Rick started slowly, his voice faltering, sounding almost pained. He looked away from Sharon, his eyes downcast, his breath uneven. "It's… complicated."
He glanced back up at her, his gaze wavering as if he was ashad of the truth. "Actually, my father… he's… he's gay. Or at least, he's been hiding it for years." His voice cracked slightly, and Rick's expression shifted to one of deep sadness, his eyebrows drawing together as if the words physically hurt him. "Jed… Jed is bisexual, and lately they've been eting secretly."
Rick's tone softened, and he spoke slower, as if every word was a confession. "They've developed this… this strong bond. They wanted to be together officially. They wanted to marry."
There was a brief pause as he took a shaky breath, and he looked down at the ground. "And my father—he asked for my agreent," Rick continued, his voice now quivering with suppressed emotion. "But I… I couldn't…"
He bit his lip, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "It's not that I'm against gay people or anything," Rick quickly added, his voice defensive, but tinged with an underlying bitterness. His gaze flickered toward Sharon, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It's just… my father was… he was a terrible parent."
Rick's voice grew louder, more strained, as anger began to seep into his tone. "He was an absent father. A drunk most of the ti. He left my mom and to fend for ourselves for years."
His breathing beca more laboured as he spoke, his anger surfacing more visibly. "Maybe if he had just accepted who he was back then, told my mother the truth earlier—or better yet, never married her—maybe she wouldn't have had to suffer."
His voice cracked, and Rick stopped for a mont, staring off into the distance as a single tear escaped and rolled down his cheek. He sniffed, wiping it away quickly, trying to regain his composure.
"My mother… she went through so much pain." Rick's voice lowered; his anger now mixed with a deep sadness. He paused again, his breath shaky, and swallowed hard. "She passed away… after so much suffering. And now, now, he wants to co out and be happy?"
Rick's fists clenched. His voice grew more intense, both hurt and enraged. "The very thought of him being happy with soone else… after lying to us all those years, after making my mother and suffer…" His voice caught, and he pressed his lips together, struggling to speak. "It's… it's unthinkable. It's painful."
He paused again, his chest rising and falling rapidly with the weight of his emotions. His eyes welled with more tears, and his tone beca quieter, more fragile. "I couldn't stand it, Sharon," he said, his voice barely a whisper, as if admitting a long-buried secret. "I told him if he went forward with his relationship with Jed, I would cut him off completely."
Rick exhaled shakily, and his gaze dropped to the ground once more. "Jed… being the selfish, hot-headed guy he was… he didn't like that. He wanted out of the picture, so he could have my father all to himself."
Tears rolled down Rick's face now, and his voice grew quieter, almost trembling as he continued. "That's why… that's why he tried to run over with his truck last ti. And that's why this happened today… because of ."
His voice broke entirely as he whispered, "Maybe if I had just forgiven my father… maybe… if I had agreed with them… Jed wouldn't have felt the need to… to do what he did." Rick's head hung low, his face contorted in a mix of grief and regret.
A long pause followed, filled with the weight of his words. Rick stood there, his shoulders slumped, looking utterly broken. His tears fell silently, and for a mont, he couldn't speak at all, just staring into the distance, as if lost in the pain of everything he'd just revealed.
Sharon stood there, wide-eyed and speechless, processing everything Rick had just revealed. Her sharp, usually unyielding deanour seed to soften as she absorbed the weight of Rick's story. For a mont, she didn't speak, her eyes darting to the ground as her mind raced. Rick watched her carefully, his heart thudding in his chest, but beneath his calm exterior, he felt the thrill of knowing his masterful lie had landed perfectly.
As she remained silent, Rick allowed a small smile to flicker across his lips—hidden from Sharon. He was good at this, weaving truths with lies, bending situations to his will. He masked the smile quickly, wiping away any remnants of emotion from his face before Sharon could notice. When she finally looked up, lost in thought, Rick decided to press his advantage.
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