NovelEnglishPART 3 CHAPTER 157 LUKE
I pull up to the driveway in the Maserati, the engine's growl cutting through the quiet neighborhood. I'm early-
figured I'd give myself stto clear my head before facing everyone.
Philly may have givena fat contract, but my head's still a mess. Contracts aren't finalized, and | haven't even
played a damn gfor them yet.
| cut the engine and sit there for a second, gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turn white. What the
hell am | even doing here? Josh's birthday or not, | don't belong in this place anymore. Not after everything that's
happened.
Not after what | did to Jess or my mother.
A sharp whistle pullsout of my thoughts. | glance up to see Josh standing at the front door, arms crossed,
grinning like an idiot as he eyes the car. He walks toward me, whistling again.
"Nice wheels, bro. Philly seems to be paying well even though you haven't played one gfor them," he
teases, his voice light, but | can tell there's more beneath it. There always is with Josh. "You know what they say,
about guys who drive flashy cars, right?" Josh wiggled his brows, "Makes up for lacking in a different
department."
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"Fucking asshole. You know I don't lack fuck anywhere." | laughed, getting out of the car.
| slam the door shut, the sound echoing down the street. For a second, | just stare at him, the kid who was once
my shadow, now all grown up, looking every bit the linebacker he's become. Josh steps up toand claps a
hand on my shoulder, squeezing it. "You should talk to her, man," he says, his tone shifting. The teasing is gone,
replaced with something serious. "He's moved out."
| feel the words hitlike a punch to the gut, but | don't react. I've gotten good at that-keeping it all buried
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtdeep. It's the only way | know how to survive. | shake my head, jaw clenched tight. "I fucked up her life, Josh. It's
not my place," | say, the words like sandpaper against my throat. "She's better off without me."
"No. She's better off without your asshole father."
Josh just shakes his head, his expression softening like it does when he's trying to talk sense into me. "You plan
on telling her you bought the house before it went up for auction?"
| freeze for a second, the words settling heavy between us. He knows. Of course, he knows. Josh has always seen
right through me.
| grit my teeth and shake my head, looking away. "No," | say harshly. "She deserves to live without any guilt. She
deserves happiness."
Josh steps closer, his voice quieter but just as firm. "So do you, man."
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I snort, shrugging him off as | take a step back.
"I'm the one who should be telling you to pull your head out of your ass, not the other way around,"
Deflect. My newfound talent.
For a second, | just stare at him, feeling the weight of everything between us. We've been through hell and back
together-fights, laughter, wins, losses-but this feels different.
Before | can say anything, Josh steps forward and pullsinto a tight hug, his grip strong and unshakable.
"Missed you, man."
| hesitate for a second before hugging him back. It's awkward at first, but then it feels like old times. Like maybe
sthings haven't changed, even though everything else has.
"Missed you too," | mutter, letting my guard down for a split Second. But even as | say it, my mind drifts back to
her. To Jess.
No matter how hard | try, | can't stop thinking about her. Waiting for her to walk out of the house. The way she
used to laugh, the way she'd look atlike | was more than just this angry asshole with too much baggage. And
now? Now she's gone, and I've only got myself to blame.
Josh pulls back and slapson the back, grinning again. "You' re staying for the party, right? Don't be an
asshole and disappear."
| nod, forcing a smile: "Yeah, I'll stay.":
But even as the words leave my mouth, | know | won't stick
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PART 3 CHAPTER 157
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around long. I'm just here for Josh. To see if there's any way to fix things between us, even if | can't fix anything
else.
As we walk toward the house, Josh
keeps talking, som & abaut the
on ahh tradi , but my mind is
iles away. Back with her. With Jess.
The truth is, | bought that house for
|
her because | couldn't stand the
thought of her losing it Bucshe
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[
doesn tlhe Yo know that. She
f q
doesn't need to carry the weight of
1! |
what I've done. She's got enough to
deal with. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
She deserves better. And maybe, someday, I'll learn to live with that.
For now, all | can do is pretend like
1 : : : '
I'm okay with it. Pretend like: lot
tearing eet ankle t| see
hee FAceina magazine or hear her
name. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
Because that's what | do. | bury it deep. | lock it away. And | keep moving.
No matter how much it fucking hurts.
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