Five

Rachel and I slipped away to one of the many guest rooms, closing the door behind us. Rachel turned to me, her face serious. “Sophia, what's going on? You can’t keep this bottled up. It’s eating you alive.”

I sank onto the bed, burying my face in my hands. “I know, but what am I supposed to do? If I tell her, it will destroy her.”

Rachel sat beside me, her voice gentle but firm. “You don’t have to tell her if you don't want to. But can you cope living under the same roof with him?"

I looked up, tears in my eyes. “I don't think I know how to deal with this."

Rachel took a deep breath. “Maybe you should try talking to Jack again. He needs to understand how this is affecting you. Maybe he can help find a way to make this easier.”

I shook my head, feeling hopeless. “I tried, Rachel. He just wants to forget it happened. But I can’t forget. Every time I see them together, it’s like a knife in my heart.”

Rachel squinted her eyes at me. “Sophia, do you have feelings for Jack?"

I shook my head, denying it despite knowing it was true. I was jealous of my mother. “No, of course not."

Just then, my mother’s voice called out from downstairs. “Girls, dinner is ready!”

Rachel gave me a supportive smile. “We’ll get through this, one step at a time. Come on, let’s go eat.”

We headed downstairs, where my mother and Jack were waiting at the grand dining table. The meal was delicious, but I could barely taste it. I forced myself to participate in the conversation, smiling and laughing in all the right places, but my mind was too preoccupied with the proximity of Jack. Every time our eyes met, my heart fluttered, and I had to look away quickly to hide my conflicted feelings.

After dinner, as we cleared the table, Jack pulled me aside. “Sophia, can we talk?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I hesitated, glancing at my mother, who was happily chatting with Rachel about the plans for the garden. I nodded and followed him out onto the terrace again, the cool night air a welcome relief from the oppressive tension inside.

"Sophia, I can't stand seeing you like this," Jack began, his expression earnest. "We need to find a way to make this work."

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “Jack, you need to understand how difficult this is for me. Seeing you with my mom... it’s tearing me apart. I don’t know how to handle it.”

Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. But I care deeply about your mother, and I don't want to lose her."

I looked away, the pain in my chest almost unbearable. "Jack, this isn't just about what happened. It's about what it means. How can we pretend that kiss didn't change everything?"

He stepped closer, his voice low and filled with regret. "I wish I could give you a simple answer, Sophia. But I can't. All I can promise is that I'll do everything I can to make this right. For all of us."

“I know,” I said, my voice shaking. “But the truth is, I don’t know how to move forward. I don’t know how to forget what happened.”

“It's not easy for me either," he said softly, his voice laced with emotion.

“So this is going to be a secret between us," I said, accepting the reality of things.

Jack nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Maybe we can find a way to coexist without causing any suspicions. If you need space, I’ll respect that. If you need to talk, I’ll be here. We’ll figure this out, together.”

I appreciated his words, but the reality of the situation still felt overwhelming. “I hope so,” I said quietly, turning to head back inside, but he held my hand and stopped me.

“Everything you felt that night, I felt it too," he whispered. My heart skipped a beat as I searched his face, my mind reeling with the implications.

I shook my head. “Don't say that," I whispered, my voice trembling. “It will only make things worse."

Jack's face drew closer, his voice low and husky. “I know, Sophia. But it is the truth."

My breath caught as Jack's words hung in the air, the tension between us electrifying. I felt like I was drowning in his eyes, unable to look away.

Just then, a faint noise came from inside the house, breaking the spell. Jack stepped back, his expression guarded. “We'll talk about this later, Sophia."

I nodded, my heart still racing. I knew that conversation was far from over.

That night, I barely slept, tossing and turning as Jack's words echoed in my mind. His confession mirrored my own tangled emotions, making the situation even more confusing. Denial offered little comfort. I knew I couldn't ignore my feelings for Jack, nor the strange intimacy that lingered between us.

A soft noise from my mother's room gets my attention. I listened, and soon I discovered it was my mother. She was moaning.

My blood boiled as I got up from my bed and tiptoed to their room. I needed to see for myself before I concluded. As I drew closer to their room, the moaning got louder. I took a peek through the keyhole and what I saw made me gasp for air.

Jack was straddling my mother from behind, and they were both a moaning mess.

How could he go from telling me how he felt about our kiss, to having sex with my mother on the same night? I was furious. I felt betrayed and very jealous, but also turned on. At that moment I wished I was in my mother's position.

What was wrong with me? How could I have feelings for a man old enough to be my father? Why do I desire to be with my stepfather?