Owned In Secret: Daddy & Son

Chapter 9: Guilt and confessions

The sun had barely crested the horizon when Ava jolted awake in Dylan's bed, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest. The room was dimly lit, the faint glow of dawn filtering through the curtains, casting long shadows across the tangled sheets. Memories of the night before flooded her mind in a chaotic rush, the heated kisses, the whispered confessions, the way their bodies had intertwined in a moment of reckless passion. What had she done? She glanced at Dylan, still asleep beside her, his chest rising and falling in peaceful rhythm, oblivious to the storm brewing inside her.

It was Saturday, a day off from the relentless grind of work, but there was no respite for Ava. Panic surged through her veins like ice water. She slipped out of bed as quietly as a ghost, grabbing her clothes scattered across the floor. Her hands trembled as she dressed, her mind screaming at her to run, to escape this mistake before it could solidify into something irreversible. Without a backward glance, she sprinted out of his apartment, her feet pounding the pavement as she raced home through the quiet morning streets of the city.

By the time she burst through her front door, slamming it shut behind her, Ava was breathless, her cheeks flushed not just from the run but from the overwhelming wave of emotions crashing over her. She leaned against the door, sliding down to the floor, her knees pulled to her chest. Questions bombarded her: What have I done? How could I let this happen? The realization hit her like a punch to the gut, she had turned down Mark, her boyfriend, not once but twice in recent weeks, all because of Dylan, her supposed best friend. The first time, it was a simple dinner date; she'd claimed she was too tired after hanging out with Dylan all day. The second, a weekend getaway he'd planned meticulously, only for her to bail at the last minute because Dylan needed her for some "emergency" that turned out to be nothing more than a bad day.

Regret twisted in her stomach like a knife. Her relationship with Dylan would never be the same, how could it? The easy platonic trust they'd built over years, shattered in one night of weakness. And Mark... oh, God, Mark. The thought of him made her chest ache. Their bond, once so steady and comforting, now felt fragile, irreparably cracked. But it was the guilt that consumed her most, a heavy, suffocating blanket that wrapped around her soul. She knew Mark better than anyone; she knew his deepest fear was abandonment, watching someone he loved slip away from him inch by inch.

Mark's past was a shadow that lingered over him, one he'd shared with Ava in vulnerable moments late at night. Mark had been six when his father walked out, abandoning the family without a word, leaving him with a mother who spiraled into depression. By eight, she'd found a new partner, one who didn't want a "reminder" of her past life. Mark was sent to foster care, bounced between homes where he was just another kid in the system, lonely nights in strange beds, birthdays forgotten, attachments formed only to be severed when placements changed. The rejection scarred him, making him cling to relationships with a quiet desperation, always fearing the slow drift away. "I hate being left alone," he'd confessed once, tears in his eyes. "It feels like dying a little each time." Ava's heart ached at the memory, how could she have become the one to trigger that pain?

Tears streamed down her face as she sat there on the floor, the weight of it all pressing down. She hauled herself up eventually, pacing her small apartment like a caged animal. The room felt too confined, the walls closing in as her mind raced. What could she do? Deny it? Pretend it never happened? No, that would only make the guilt fester. She needed to talk to someone, someone who wouldn't judge her too harshly. Her thoughts turned to Nina, her distant best friend from college days. They hadn't spoken in months, life had pulled them in different directions, with Nina moving to the coast for a job in marketing but Nina had always been the voice of reason, the one who could cut through Ava's chaos with sharp insight.

Ava grabbed her phone, her fingers hovering over Nina's contact before she hit call. It rang twice before Nina picked up, her voice bright and familiar. "Ava! Oh my God, it's been forever! What's up, girl?"

Ava's voice cracked as she tried to steady herself. "Nina... I... I messed up. Badly."

There was a pause, then concern laced Nina's tone. "Whoa, slow down. Tell me everything. Start from the beginning."

Ava took a deep breath and spilled it all. She started with how she'd been treating Mark in the past weeks, distant, flaky, always prioritizing Dylan under the guise of friendship. "I've been blowing him off, Nina. Making excuses. And last night... I... I made out with Dylan. No, wait, it was more than that. We had sex."

Nina's reaction was immediate and explosive. "What!!? Ava, are you serious? Dylan? Your best friend Dylan?"

Ava winced at the volume, but pressed on. "Yes. And then he confessed he's been in love with me for years. Like, real love, not just a crush."

Nina let out a low whistle. "Who would have known? Dylan, in love with you all this time? That sneaky bastard. Remember college? We were all so tight back then you, me, Dylan. The three musketeers, hitting up parties and pulling all-nighters studying."

Ava nodded, even though Nina couldn't see her. Memories flooded back, pulling them both into a shared nostalgia. "Yeah... God, where did it even start? Think about it freshman year, when we all met in that intro psych class. Dylan was always the one volunteering to walk you home after late nights at the library. I thought he was just being protective, like a big brother."

Nina laughed softly, but there was a thoughtful edge to it. "Oh, come on, there were signs. Remember sophomore year, that spring break trip to the beach? You had that fling with that surfer guy, and Dylan was moping the whole time. He said he was hungover, but looking back, he was jealous as hell. And junior year, when you dated that frat boy who turned out to be a jerk? Dylan was the one who punched him at the party when he cheated on you. I mean, we all hated the guy, but Dylan took it personally."

Ava's mind reeled as pieces clicked into place. "And senior year... the graduation party. He gave me that necklace, the one with the little star pendant. Said it reminded him of how I 'lit up his world.' I thought it was cheesy friend stuff. How did we miss it?"

"Because we were idiots," Nina said with a sigh. "Love hides in plain sight sometimes. But okay, back to now. What do you want to do about this mess?"

Ava slumped onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. "I don't know. I'm so confused, Nina. My head's spinning."

"Do you still love Mark?" Nina asked gently.

"Yes," Ava whispered, her voice thickening with emotion, on the verge of sobs. "I love how gentle he is, how he always knows when I need space but still checks in with a text. He's so reserved, but when he opens up, it's like seeing a whole new world. And supportive,.God, he's been there for every dream I've chased, cheering me on even when I doubted myself." Tears welled up as she listed them, her words tumbling out in a pre-sobbing rush, each one a reminder of what she stood to lose.

Nina hummed thoughtfully. "And what about Dylan?"

"I don't know. I just... I can't think about him right now. It's too much."

"Alright, listen," Nina said firmly. "You need to come clean to Mark. Confess everything, apologize from the heart. Before this eats you alive or he finds out some other way. Honesty might save it, or at least give you closure."

Ava nodded, wiping her eyes. "You're right. I have to do it."

They talked a bit longer, catching up on lighter things to ease the tension, before hanging up. Ava sat there, phone in hand, summoning the courage to call Mark. Her thumb hovered over his name, her heart racing. Just as she was about to press it, her phone buzzed with an incoming call an unknown number. Frowning, she answered hesitantly. "Hello?"

"Hey... you left before I woke up." The voice was familiar, laced with regret. Dylan.

Ava's stomach dropped. "Dylan? How did you get this number? Wait, stupid question, you have my number."

He chuckled weakly, but it sounded forced. "Yeah. Look, Ava, about last night... I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to put you in that situation. I got carried away with my feelings, and I shouldn't have confessed like that, not when you're with Mark. It was selfish. I just... I've held this in for so long, and the alcohol, the moment... it all spilled out."

She closed her eyes, leaning against the wall. "Dylan, please. I can't do this right now."

"I know, I know," he rushed on, his voice cracking slightly. "I feel awful. Guilty as hell. You mean the world to me, and the last thing I want is to hurt you or ruin what we have. Friendship or... whatever this could be. But I get it if you need space, hell, I need to process this too. I promise, I'll stay away for as long as you need. No calls, no texts, no showing up at your door . Just... take care of yourself, okay? And if you ever want to talk, I'm here."

Ava's throat tightened. His guilt mirrored her own, making it harder to be angry. "Just... stay away for some time, Dylan. I need to figure this out."

"I will," he vowed, his tone earnest. "I swear. I'm sorry, Ava. Truly."

They lingered in silence for a moment, the weight of unspoken words hanging between them. Finally, she murmured, "Goodbye," and hung up, her hand shaking as she set the phone down.

With a deep breath, she dialed Mark. It rang three times before he picked up, his voice neutral but warm. "Ava? Hey, what's up?"

"Mark... I... I need to talk to you. Can we meet? Or... or just over the phone. I have to tell you something."

There was a pause. "Okay. You're scaring me a bit. What's going on?"

She launched into it, her words pouring out in a torrent of apologies and confessions. "I'm so sorry, Mark. Last night, after we argued... I went to Dylan's. We drank, and things got out of hand. We... we had s*x. And he told me he's in love with me. I didn't think it through, I was upset, confused. It was a mistake, a huge one. Please, forgive me."

Mark was silent throughout, not interrupting once. Ava could hear his breathing, steady but heavy, on the other end. When she finished, tears streaming down her face, he finally spoke. His voice was low, laced with tears that made it waver. "Ava... do you even realize what you've done? Not just last night, but all of it?"

She sniffled. "What do you mean?"

"Let me remind you," he said, his words measured but pained. "A few weeks ago, we were supposed to go out for dinner, I waited for over three hours at the restaurant, called you a dozen times with no answer, then came to your house to check on you, only to find out you were with Dylan watching movies all night."

Ava's heart sank. "Mark, I"

"And before that," he continued, ignoring her, "our anniversary weekend, I planned everything, the hotel, the surprises. You canceled last minute because Dylan had a 'crisis' at work and needed moral support. I spent the night alone, wondering what I did wrong."

Tears choked her. "I'm sorry..."

"Then there was the concert," he went on, his voice breaking now. "Tickets I got months in advance for your favorite band. You said you were sick, but I saw the photos on social medial, you and Dylan at a bar, laughing it up. I called, no pick up, no call back. Always Dylan."

Each recounting was like a dagger, one-line snapshots of her neglect, her priorities skewed without her even realizing. Mark paused, drawing a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, Ava. I've thought about this a lot lately. I can't do it anymore. We're done. And one day, you'll regret betraying my love like this."

His words carried a dark edge, a veiled threat that sent a chill down her spine. "Mark, please... don't say that. We can fix this."

"No," he said firmly. "Goodbye, Ava." He hung up.