On Her Daddy's Bed (Adeline and Luciano) novel Chapter 62

62 /94

Author’s POV.

It had been two weeks of nonstop crying for Tracy. Ever since she left Axel’s house, she had failed at everything she did. She could barely think straight, and all that filled her mind were the memories of Alex. They were like a constant echo that she couldn’t escape from. His smile, the way he would look at her with those eyes that seemed to hold so many secrets—everything about him still lingered like a ghost in her thoughts.

She had reached out to him several times, hoping for a change, but his responses were always the same as the ones he gave her in Axel’s house. Cold, distant, and unfeeling. Worse yet, he had blocked every number she tried to use to contact him, and avoided places she knew he might be, like the back of his hand. It felt like a betrayal, like she had been nothing but a fleeting moment in his life. It was painful. And the more she tried, the more she realized that Alex was no longer a part of her life.

Seated on her bed with a book in her hand, just like every other day, she stared blankly at the page, not even reading the words. A call came through on her phone, breaking through the suffocating silence. She jolted slightly, startled by the sudden distraction from her thoughts.

Her fingers shook as she reached for her phone. She checked the caller ID, and her heart melted when she saw the name on the screen. It was Hazel, her most reliable source of comfort. Hazel had been calling her every single day to check on her, offering warm, kind, and uplifting words that somehow made Tracy feel a little lighter.

Without hesitation, Tracy wiped her face, her hand brushing away the remnants of tears. She answered the phone, her voice shaky but determined. She was going to be okay—at least, that’s what she kept telling herself.

“Hello, Hazel,” Tracy managed to say, her voice soft and barely audible.

“Hey, girlfriend! How are you feeling?” Hazel’s voice was full of concern and warmth, a stark contrast to the cold emptiness that Tracy felt.

Tracy’s chest tightened at the question. She wanted to say she was fine, that everything was okay, but she knew that would be a lie. She smiled weakly, trying to force some normalcy into her voice. “I’m… I’m okay.”

Hazel didn’t believe her, of course. She knew Tracy too well. The silence that followed spoke volumes. Hazel could hear it—the way Tracy’s voice cracked, the way she was trying to hold back tears. But Hazel didn’t press her. She knew how to read her friend, and pestering her to talk about it might only make things worse. So, Hazel let the silence hang for a moment before lightening the mood with her next words.

“I’m glad you’re hanging in there,” Hazel said with a soft laugh. “Axel’s hosting a success party tomorrow, and I’m sending you a dress today. You’ve got to come! It’s going to be fun.”

Tracy hesitated, a small knot forming in her stomach. She looked at the phone in her hand, her mind swirling. She wanted to go. Part of her craved the distraction, the chance to feel something other than the weight of the heartache she was carrying. But at the same time, she knew that she wasn’t ready to face the crowd, to be around so many people while her heart was still so broken.

“I’m sorry, girlfriend… but I can’t come,” Tracy said softly, her voice laced with regret.

Hazel’s tone immediately shifted, a hint of confusion in her voice. “Why not?”

Tracy sighed deeply, her heart heavy. She felt the weight of everything pressing down on her shoulders. “It’s pretty clear, Hazel… I’m running away from Alex.”

There it was, the truth that she had been trying to avoid. She was trying to escape him, to erase him from her life because she couldn’t bear the thought of facing him—especially when he was avoiding her so deliberately. The pain of rejection stung her, and it made it harder to breathe. She had to distance herself from him, even if it meant cutting herself off from everything she once thought she wanted.

Hazel fell silent for a moment, her understanding palpable through the phone. Tracy could hear the soft exhale of Hazel’s breath, and she knew that her friend was feeling the same weight. Hazel had seen it all—the way Tracy had thrown herself into Alex, hoping for something real, only to be left with nothing but empty promises and unanswered calls.

After a beat, Hazel spoke again, her voice gentle but insistent. “This invitation is from Axel, specifically. He wants you there.”

Tracy’s brows furrowed in confusion. “But… Axel and I don’t really talk much.”

Hazel’s voice softened, and there was a sincerity in it that Tracy couldn’t ignore. “He does things that make me happy, and having you there would make me even happier. This is a special invitation, Tracy. You mean something to me, and Axel respects that. So please, just consider it. You don’t have to decide now, but think about it.”