Lahat ng Kabanata ng My dad's bestfriend: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Pedro gripped the steering wheel of his Jeep as if it were the only solid thing in a world spinning around him. The engine hummed dully under the hood, a familiar sound that did nothing to calm the chaos in his head. He'd sped off, tires crunching on the gravel of the driveway, leaving behind the vacation house that summer refuge that suddenly felt like a prison. The hot afternoon air rushed through the open window, carrying the salty smell of the ocean and the dusty perfume of eucalyptus lining the coastal road. But none of it could chase away the images assaulting him: Sofia, naked under the shower, her eyes looking up at him with that audacity that had terrified and excited him in equal measure; her lips on him, warm and insistent; her body arched against the cold wall, ready to receive him. And then that phone call, that cursed call from Javier that had shattered everything, dragging reality back like a bucket of ice water.He was driving badly, he knew it. His hands trembled slig

The afternoon sun filtered through the half-open shutters of Sofia's room, casting bands of golden light across the polished wooden floor like bars of an invisible prison. She'd been lying on her bed for what felt like an eternity, the rumpled sheets around her in a chaotic cocoon, her pillow still damp from last night's tears. The silence of the empty house wrapped around her, broken only by the distant ticking of a clock downstairs and the endless murmur of the waves in the distance a steady rhythm that violently contrasted with the turmoil in her head. She'd slept fitfully, a restless sleep filled with fragmented dreams where Pedro kissed her passionately before brutally pushing her away, his face transforming into her father's, Javier's, filled with disappointment. Each awakening dragged her back to reality: the shower, this very morning, that moment when everything had seemed possible, when her body had vibrated under his hands, and then... nothing. Just that cold rejection, that

Dinner had stretched in a tension that Pedro felt like a rope stretched to the breaking point, each of Sofia's glances like a vibration making the air between them tremble. He'd held on, avoiding her insistent eyes, focusing on his plate with an almost ridiculous determination chewing without really tasting, responding to Javier's jokes with forced laughter that rang false even to his own ears. Diego and Ellie, oblivious to the underlying drama, had filled the silence with their surfing stories, their youthful voices contrasting with the weight pressing down on him. When the meal finally ended, Pedro had pleaded a throbbing headache "Too much sun today, *compadre*, I'm going to lie down for a bit" and slipped away, leaving the others to their laughter and the clinking dishes in the kitchen.He went upstairs with heavy steps, each stair creaking under his weight like a reproach. His room was a dark haven, the half-closed shutters filtering the fading evening light, casting long shadows

Javier walked into the living room, wiping his hands on a dish towel, his face flushed from the barbecue sun. He sat down across from her, a tired smile on his lips, and set a box of board games on the coffee table Monopoly, Scrabble, classics worn by years of use."Hey, *mija*, what do you say to a game night tonight?" he proposed, his Mexican accent rolling the words with familiar warmth. "With Pedro and the boys. It's been a while since we've had a real game like before."Sofia looked up from her phone, forcing a polite smile. "Sounds fun, Dad, but Ellie and I are going out with friends tonight."Javier raised an eyebrow but didn't insist. "Ah, kids and their parties. Okay, never mind. I'll see what Pedro and Diego are up to, then."He stood, heading toward the garage to dig through boxes of forgotten games, leaving Sofia alone for a moment. Ellie was upstairs with Diego she could hear them laughing from above, probably playing video games or sharing surfing stories. Pedro, meanwhi

They climbed out of the Jeep with a crunch of gravel, the night air wrapping around them immediately humid and salty, clinging to their skin like a second layer. The villa loomed before them like an illuminated ship, its glass doors open to the black sea. Dozens of cars were parked haphazardly on the lawn, doors open, music spilling from every direction, laughter bursting through the darkness. The smell was that of every summer party: crushed grass, sea salt, spilled tequila, cheap perfume, and that acrid note of collective desire that always hung in the air when the night turned serious.Sofia adjusted her denim shorts with a mechanical gesture, already feeling Ellie's gaze on her discreet, almost shy, but heavy with everything he hadn't dared say in the car. She gave him a vague smile, a facade, and they moved together toward the entrance, weaving through the crowd already clustered on the porch. Bodies pressed close, hands brushed, voices shouted to be heard over the music. Someone