Illicit Desires With My Best Friend's Father

Chapter 4. We met again

It's been two years since I slept with the man I met at that lavish club, and since then, I've sworn off being intimate with anyone. I later had a boyfriend named Gary, who supported me during tough times, but we broke up when he turned aggressive and attempted to r**e me. I still don’t understand what came over him that night.

While I kept dreaming of going to college, I balanced various part-time jobs to fund my education, as I didn’t have parental support. Working different shifts at bars and restaurants allowed me to make new friends. Now, at twenty-two, I'm eagerly anticipating starting at the prestigious University at Buffalo.

I never realized how fortunate fate could be until I tried one of the renowned scholarship websites for private universities. To my delight, I was selected as one of the candidates for New York University, with my entire tuition, as well as miscellaneous and other expenses, covered by the scholarship.

"I'm so happy for you, Irene," said Joyce, one of my coworkers, giving me a warm hug. While I was thrilled to be among the chosen few, I felt a pang of sadness for Joyce, who wasn’t selected.

"don’t worry about me," Joyce said with a bright smile. "I'll be attending a community college and then work hard to save up for my own college journey." I hugged her back, wishing her all the best.

"Who do you think is funding my university education? Is it the school or some private organizations?" I asked, curiosity evident on my face.

"I believe this year, private organizations are the ones sponsoring the scholarship students. I also heard the new mayor is a major supporter of the school."

"The mayor?" I responded, my eyes widening and my jaw dropping.

"Yes, the new mayor, Mr. Richard Wayne, is one of the university's biggest benefactors. He's known for his generosity in helping underprivileged students with scholarships. I'm thrilled that you're one of the lucky ones," Joyce said, leaving me momentarily breathless.

Since that night with the man, his name had never left my thoughts.

Wait… Maybe I’m overreacting. He couldn’t be the same mayor Joyce mentioned.

"You look lost Irene, are you sure you're alright?"

Joyce asked as she drew my chin so I could turn to face her.

"I'm not lost. I was just urm.. thinking about something. Can I see the picture of the new mayor?" I asked while she gave me a confused stare.

"Wait! You're joking aren't you? You want to tell me you don't know or haven't seen the face of the new mayor?"

"I — I haven't. I don't have time to listen to updates in town as I am always engrossed in my life affairs. It isn't a crime if I don't know him, is it?"

"Fine," Joyce murmured before turning on her laptop. As she browsed the internet, the first thing that appeared was the handsome face of Mr. Richard—the same man I had slept with.

Oh no... He’s the same man, and now he's running for mayor. He must have chosen me as a candidate for the scholarship program at New York University. What if he did it intentionally to get close to me? Wait... could he still remember my face after two years? Surely not, right?

This is crazy! Really really crazy.

I shook my head slightly, not wanting to believe it.

I’ve been setting aside money to support my studies at the University at Buffalo. While I can cover my first two years, the funds I have won’t be sufficient for the remaining years, let alone for meals, housing, and other expenses.

The scholarship opportunity is a valuable chance, and I can’t afford to let it pass by.

I have no choice but to accept it..

****

AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY..…

As I sat at the large dining table with other students, I noticed a group of guys harassing a younger girl who seemed quite reserved. Despite their taunts, she remained silent and visibly shaken, probably too scared to speak up.

It was clear she had no friends and needed someone to stand up for her.

When one of the guys playfully hit her on the head, I felt a surge of anger and couldn’t tolerate it any longer. I stood up, approached him, and struck him hard on the chest.

"Hey! How dare you!" he snapped, eyeing me with a scornful look.

I crossed my arms and glared at him, undeterred by his imposing height. Since Jayden betrayed me and treated me like an object, I vowed never to let any man take me for granted again. I wouldn’t stand by while they mistreated someone else like me.

"Who do you think you are? Urh? Aren't you one of those poor students on Scholarship? How dare you speak back to someone like me?" He yelled as he slowly approached me, trying to scare me, but I simply sneered, feeling no fear at all.

I shoved him away and grabbed his collar tightly, making it clear that I wasn’t someone he could mess with.

"If you ever touch a woman again, I'll make sure I cut off your fingers. Trust me, I mean it,"

"You're trying to act bold, urh? Do you know who I am? Do you even know who my parents are?"

"I don't f**g care who you are! You're just a dumb large guy with an empty brain. I'm not shocked if you still depend on your parents for a penny. You feel the only area you can get praise from is by hitting a lady, you stupid bully! Why don't you invest your time in something meaningful and maybe you wouldn't be as dumb as this," I spat back and his friends widened their eyes. Some of them clapped at my bravery. They've never seen any lady as brave as me before.

I pushed the guy away and he staggered as I released my grip on him, his eyes widening in surprise as he stared at me, probably wondering who the hell I was.

I smirked as I extended my hand to the lady who had been bullied. She grasped it, standing up, her fear mixed with relief.

Turning back to face the bullies, I gave them a steely glare.

“If you ever bully her again, I’ll make your lives a living hell,” I spat out, my breath coming in sharp bursts.

I was surprised by the surge of courage, but I couldn’t tolerate seeing men mistreating women.

Who do they think they are?

Maybe it was because of my own experiences with bullying in elementary school that I felt compelled to stand up for her, not wanting her to endure a similar fate.

"What's your name?" I finally asked the shy lady while we strolled the corridor together. She seemed like a lost deer, someone who didn’t quite seem ready for college yet.

"I'm Brittany Wayne. Wh– what about you?" She asked cutely, her face flushing from shyness.

"I'm Irene Briggs. Good to know you."

"Thanks for saving me back then. I don't know how I can thank you enough."

"It's my pleasure. If I may ask, have those idiots been bullying you for a long time now?" I asked as I caressed her soft brown hair, acting like a mother to her.

"Yes, I just didn’t know how to ask them to stop. They’re probably jealous because my father is a major sponsor of this institution, and his wealth surpasses their fathers'. I hate that I can't stand up for myself and that I'm so slow to react. I hate my life," she said, striking her chest in frustration.

I paused and took her hands, stopping her from hurting herself. It wasn't her fault; it was just part of who she was, and she shouldn't despise herself.

Gently, I tucked her hair behind her ears and lifted her chin to meet my gaze. "You don’t need to hate yourself. I was once in your shoes, taking whatever was thrown at me, but not anymore. I’ll help you learn to stand up for yourself. If I can do it, I know you can too."

She embraced me tightly, her face bright with relief and joy.

"Can we be friends?"

"Of course we are already friends. I love your nature and I love people like you," I replied to her while she hugged me once again.

"I heard you're on scholarship. Is it true?" Brittany asked, squinting as she looked at me.

"Yes. How about you?"

"I'm not on Scholarship." She said and ended up pouting sadly.

"Why the sad face? Do you also wish to be on scholarship too?"

"No no no..not at all. My dad is rich. He's a great sponsor of this university. I'm just not happy because he made me start college early. I feel I'm too young to be here and I don't even feel like I belong here,"

"I'm so sorry about that. If I may ask, how old are you?"

"I'm fifteen. What about you?" She asked cutely.

"I'm twenty-two. Wow, I could tell you were younger, but I didn't realize you were only fifteen. I thought you might be seventeen. Anyway, don’t be too upset about being here; I’ll make sure to be by your side every day," I reassured her as she hugged me again.

I gently patted her back, just as my mom used to do for me when I was younger.

After she pulled away, she looked at me and asked, "Would it be okay if I saw you as a mother figure too?"

I chuckled at her question. I didn’t mind, but I was curious about her reason.

"Well, my mom passed away when I was two. Since then, my dad has been raising me and my brother alone. He’s always so busy and doesn’t spend much time with us.”

"Don't worry, I'll do anything for you. I promise I'll always be there for you, okay,"

***

As the weeks went by, Brittany and I grew closer. One day, she invited me to her opulent mansion, and I was stunned by its grandeur. Her family owned not just an estate but also a private jet, several companies, and a fleet of luxurious cars.

"Wow! I knew you were wealthy, but I didn’t realize you were this affluent," I said, my eyes taking in every stunning detail of the mansion.

"I'm not one to flaunt it. My dad is really excited to meet you," Brittany said with a smile.

"Me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. I’ve told him a lot about you. He’s eager to meet you now that he knows you’re my best friend," she replied.

"Gosh! Brittany. You didn't tell me your dad will be at home today. I didn't even prepare for what I'd say to him," I said with wide eyes, my heart racing more than normal.

"Come on! You don't have to be scared. He's a little strict but I'm sure he'll like you." Brittany reassured me once again as I took slow steps toward her, my eyes widening with curiosity about how he would perceive me.

I've heard a lot about the eccentricities of wealthy people, particularly how they scrutinize their children's friends. I had no idea Brittany was so incredibly rich. How on earth will I be able to face her father?

When we finally entered, three maids bowed to both Brittany and me. They guided me to the sitting room, where I settled into a plush chair, my eyes scanning every corner of the room as I awaited Brittany's father's arrival.

"Feel free, Irene." Brittany said with a warm smile as she sat beside me.

"Okay," I murmured with a shaky breath, and at that moment, a striking man in an elegant black suit approached us, his deep brown eyes examining me from a distance.

"Welcome, Brittany! Who is this lovely angel sitting with you?"

Her father’s deep, husky voice called from across the room. I turned to face him, forcing a smile.

The moment our eyes met, my eyes widened and my smile disappeared as I realized it was none other than Mr. Richard Wayne—the handsome man I had slept with two years ago, who is old enough to be my father.