Mom, Don't Cry! Here comes a new Daddy! novel Chapter 37

Chapter 28-1

Chapter 28-1

+25 Pomita

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(Sabrina’s POV)

“Well, too bad for him, and you. Because he doesn’t get to make that choice for me. None of you do.” I wipe my face with my free hand, not caring that I’m falling apart in a parking lot. “I’m not some damsel in distress who needs rescuing. Nor am I a charity case. I don’t need anyone’s help to

stand on my own feet again.”

“I never thought you did-”

“Yes, you did. You all did. Poor Sabrina, too weak to find her own happiness. Too broken to stand on her own. Too incompetent to manage her own life. Let’s set her up with someone and film it for

entertainment.”

Silence. Long and heavy.

“I’m sorry,” he finally says. “You’re right. We should have told you. We should have let you make your own choices. And I’m sorry we didn’t.”

The apology should make me feel better. It doesn’t.

“I liked you,” I whisper. “I really liked you. And that terrified me because I didn’t think I could feel that way again after Dustin. But I did. I felt something real. Or at least I thought I did.”

“It was real, Sabrina. Everything between us was real.”

“Again. Too bad I don’t trust anything you say. When everything is built on a lie, everything sounds like a lie.”

“But I’m not hiding anymore. I really do want to date you. No cameras. No schemes. Just you and me for real this time.”

I close my eyes, exhaustion washing over me. “I can’t do this.”

“Sabrina-”

“I can’t trust you. I can’t trust Sophia. I can’t even trust my own judgment anymore.” I open my eyes, staring at my car in the distance. “Everyone I’ve ever depended on has either betrayed me or manipulated me or decided they know what’s best for me. And I’m done. I’m done being everyone’s project.”

“You’re not a project to me.”

“Maybe not. But you still lied. And I can’t-I won’t do this again. I won’t let myself fall for someone who thinks deception is acceptable as long as the intentions are good.”

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Chapter 28-1

“What do you want me to do?” His voice is desperate now. “Tell me what I can do to fix this.”

+25 Point

“There’s nothing you can do. Because the problem isn’t just you. It’s me.” I swallow hard. “I’m the problem. I’m the one who keeps trusting people who hurt me. I’m the one who keeps depending

on others instead of standing on my own. And that stops now.”

“Sabrina, don’t-”

“Goodbye, Jason. Or Ethan. Or whatever your name is. I hope you find what you’re looking for. But i

won’t be with me.”

I hang up before he can respond and immediately block the number.

My hands are shaking so badly I almost drop my phone. I stand there in the parking lot, crying and furious and feeling more alone than I’ve felt in my entire life.

A text comes through from Sophia: Please answer my call. Let’s talk. I’m so sorry.

I delete the text without responding.

Another text, this time from Jake’s account, but clearly written by Sophia: Mommy, I’m sorry. I just wanted you to be happy. Please don’t be mad. I love you.

My heart cracks completely. Jake. My sweet boy who thinks finding me a boyfriend with shiny shoes will fix everything.

He’s just trying to help. But he doesn’t understand that sometimes, doing nothing is better than doing something that hurts.

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