When Linda develops a crush on her best friend's dad, she knows it's a hopeless fantasy. But her world shatters when she catches him kissing her sister. Desperate to escape the pain, she enrolls at Brookstones University, determined to leave behind everyone who betrayed her. Yet, fate has other plans-her heartbreaker is now a professor in her department. Will Linda suppress her forbidden desires, or will she risk it all for a chance at the love she's always wanted? Dive into this captivating story to find out!
Chapter 1 One
I always knew my sister disliked me, but it wasn't until my eighteenth birthday that I realized just how deep her bitterness truly went.
Dad, our only living parent, lavished me with gifts. Across the room, my sister brooded in the shadows, sulking like a spoiled brat.
But nothing could spoil my happiness. Especially when Dad confirmed his friend and the man of my dreams, Damien, would be attending my birthday.
"Dad, you're spoiling Linda too much,"Erica whined, her face scrunched up like she'd just bitten into a rotten lemon. "You didn't celebrate my eighteenth like this. You weren't even in town!"
I tuned her out immediately, because I've heard this jealous statement countless times. I picked up the short, black gown I'd been saving for tonight-the one that hugged every curve like a second skin and left just enough to the imagination. I glanced at my reflection, admiring the way it revealed the entire length of my back.
My phone buzzed. It was Damien's daughter, my best friend, confirming they were almost here.
Perfect.
My birthday was a cruel reminder of my mother's death as she'd died giving birth to me, and the anniversary always made this day hard. But for the first time, I was happy because Damien would be here.
Damien was many things to me: my dad's closest friend, my best friend's ridiculously attractive father, and my crush of the past two years.
From the day he and his daughter moved to town, he'd been the center of my attention-and pretty much everyone else's too. It was like he walked in with a spotlight attached, turning heads left and right.
Tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome, with that mysterious vibe. Every girl with a pulse practically drooled over him. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to notice me. No stolen glances, no casual smiles in my direction-nothing.
I was just another face in a crowd, and that stung more than I'd care to admit. The competition was fierce, and I was stuck on the sidelines. A classic case of one-sided love, and let me tell you, it sucked.
I'd picture him looking at me, actually seeing me, not just as his friend's daughter but as a woman who loved him. In my mind, he'd flash that roguish smile, call me by name in that deep voice, maybe even brush my hair behind my ear like they do in the movies. But nope-real life wasn't that generous.
No one knew about my feelings for Damien except my sister Erica, who had stubbornly read my journal. She threatened to report to Dad and I had to tone my obsession for Damien down.
"He's twenty years older than you, stupid. How are you not seeing that?"
Erica had no idea what it was like to be in love with someone you couldn't control your feelings for.
"All I want is for him to notice me as a woman, not a little girl."
"Are you out of your mind?" Erica bristled. "You're going to embarrass yourself, and when it blows up in your face, I'll be right there to tell you 'I told you so.' Mimi is your best friend. Do you honestly think she'll be okay with you dating her dad? If the roles were reversed, would you want her hooking up with our dad?"
I ignored Erica. She'd been riding the "I'm the older, wiser sister" wave for so long. But I was eighteen now, technically a full adult. What was so wrong with telling Damien how I felt? It wasn't like I was breaking some law by having a crush-especially one as serious as this.
And if he didn't like me back and ended up rejecting me, I'd live.
Sure, it might sting, but I could move on.
The party was in full swing, with music blaring and people dancing. My dad, ever the eccentric, was dancing around with my classmates, his long, scraggly hair flopping around his face like an old rock star.
Despite the fun atmosphere, I couldn't relax. I scanned the room, searching for Damien. He hadn't arrived yet, and without him, the whole party felt pointless.
The night dragged on. I kept my eyes glued to the driveway, waiting for that familiar black Range Rover to pull in.
After what felt like forever, Damien arrived. His daughter rushed ahead of him, excitedly holding a bag of gifts. She was saying something, but I barely heard her. All I could see was Damien, stepping out of his car with that same calm, commanding presence that made my heart race.
His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, revealing just enough of his muscular chest to make my head spin. He was like something out of a dream.
He caught my gaze and gave me a brief nod, his face as unreadable as ever.
"Happy birthday, Linda," he said, handing me a neatly wrapped gift. "I'm not great at picking out presents, but I hope this is something you'll like."
Our fingers brushed as I took the gift, and the contact sent a jolt through my body. I quickly opened it to find a beautifully illustrated encyclopedia about forests. I smiled, remembering how he used to humor me when I'd pester him with questions about his environmental research.
"Thank you," I whispered, trying not to let my voice shake. He gave me a small smile but quickly looked away when I adjusted my top.
Before I could say anything else, Mimi dragged me inside, completely oblivious to the moment I'd just shared with her dad.
"So, tonight's the night you finally get laid?" she teased, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "I mean, seriously, how are you still single with that hot body? Are the boys blind or what?"
I shrugged, glancing over at her dad as he made his way toward the art studio.
"I don't need a boy. I'm waiting for the right man," I said proudly, letting the words roll off my tongue like a mantra.
Because, seriously, who had time for the immature, clueless boys running around with no ambition beyond their next video game session? Boys were fine for passing time, but I wasn't here to play games.
No, I was holding out for someone like Damien, a man who walked into a room and made every head turn. Someone who knew who he was, who didn't need to prove anything.
Mimi wrinkled her nose. "You sound like you're straight out of one of those weird romance novels you're always reading."
I laughed it off, but my mind was elsewhere. All I could think about was finding Damien alone. My heart pounded with anticipation.
I slipped away when Mimi got distracted, searching the house for Damien. I found him in the studio, but my blood turned cold when I saw him. He wasn't alone.
Erica's hands were on his neck, and she was kissing his neck!
My heart dropped into my stomach.
"Erica!" I blurted out, my voice trembling with shock.
Both of them froze, turning to look at me. Erica's face went blank, but Damien's eyes were filled with guilt.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief.
"Linda," Erica said, stepping toward me. "It's not what you think-"
I didn't wait for her to finish. I bolted upstairs, tears blurring my vision. I slammed my bedroom door shut and collapsed onto the floor, my heart shattering into pieces.
With shaking hands, I logged onto the college admissions website and accepted my spot at Brookstones University, far away from everything and everyone I'd ever known.
I needed to get out of here. Away from Erica. Away from Damien. Away from the broken pieces of my heart.
Chapter 1 One
12/09/2024
Chapter 2 Two
12/09/2024
Chapter 3 Three
12/09/2024
Chapter 4 Four
12/09/2024
Chapter 5 Five
12/09/2024
Chapter 6 Six
12/09/2024
Chapter 7 Seven
12/09/2024
Chapter 8 Eight
12/09/2024
Chapter 9 Nine
12/09/2024
Chapter 10 Ten
13/09/2024
Chapter 11 Eleven
13/09/2024
Chapter 12 Twelve
13/09/2024
Chapter 13 Thirteen
14/09/2024
Chapter 14 Fourteen
15/09/2024
Chapter 15 Fifteen
15/09/2024
Chapter 16 Sixteen
16/09/2024
Chapter 17 Seventeen
16/09/2024
Chapter 18 Eighteen
16/09/2024
Chapter 19 Nineteen
16/09/2024
Chapter 20 Twenty
16/09/2024
Chapter 21 Twenty-One
01/11/2024
Chapter 22 Twenty-Two
01/11/2024
Chapter 23 Twenty-Three
03/11/2024
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