Chapter 115: Misunderstanding
NANCY’S POV
“I get that might have been a shocker for you, and I do apologize for not letting you know before now. Just thought my Dad also deserved to be the one to let anyone in on that identity of his.”
“It’s a bit surprising that he didn’t tell you, though…”
Diana let her voice trail off with implication, staring me dead in the eye.
I lowered my head, unable to keep eye contact for too long.
She was trying to provoke a reaction from me, I knew that, but I just couldn’t react the way she wanted, not when I felt so guilty.
It did come as a surprise that she knew about Mr Landon’s secret identity, but once I thought about it, I realised it did make sense that she knew.
He was her Dad after all. It would be even more shocking if she didn’t.
Pushing down the suffocating feeling in my chest, I gave myself some much-needed moral support to boost my confidence, then raised my head to respond to Diana.
“I had no clue.”
In the same breath, I added. “I know you think he would have, but we didn’t have that kind of relationship…”
“What kind did you have?” She butted in.
For a second, I thought she would sneer at me, since her lips were twitching, but she didn’t.
“Answer me, Nancy. What kind of relationship did you have with my Dad because you say it’s not that kind?”
“Don’t misunderstand me, Diana,” I called softly. “That wasn’t what I meant.”
“What did you mean then?”
“Tell me. Because it for sure sounds like you’re trying to absolve yourself of all guilt.”
“That’s not…” I leaned forward, uttering hastily, but I couldn’t get my words out fast enough.
Exhaling heavily, I leaned back in my seat.
Genuinely, this wasn’t how I was hoping our conversation would go.
From the start of it, she hadn’t even let me get a word in and seemed intent on painting me as a villain, which I understood, but I would also be doing both her and myself a disservice if I didn’t speak up.
I was silent for about two minutes, but then I leaned forward again.
“Diana, I know you’re mad at me, but things are not all the way you think.”
Her lips parted, and I thought she would interrupt me for a second there, but she didn’t. She only let out a small huff and then crossed her arms.
I took that as my cue to go on.
“Whilst I can’t tell what he’s thinking, I can at least infer that this relationship with your Dad and I was one-sided.”
“Let me explain,” I said, half-pleading when I saw that she was about to interrupt again.
“Okay.”
“So, for starters, he didn’t trust me enough to tell me about his secret identity.” I tried to keep my gaze level on her as I spoke.
Without mincing words, I described all that had happened from the moment I arrived in Florida, to my first sight crush on Mr Landon, down to how we made the decision to be together…
I told her everything, rounding up my story with the argument between myself and Mason, where I had been about to tell her who he truly was.
When I finished, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest, but I couldn’t relax, not yet,
Diana, on the other hand, settled into silence as I spoke, and when I stopped talking, she looked away, hiding my view of her face so I couldn’t even tell the expression she was wearing.
In that same state, she muttered. “So you had a crush on my dad all along?”
“I did.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She raised her head, and I finally saw her face. There was a gleam in her eyes, one that suggested she was fighting tears.
Mine began to itch as well.
“How could I have told you, Diana?” I answered shakily.
“I knew how wrong my feelings were, and I hated myself for even having them, but they didn’t stop. It grew every day until I was forced to confront it.”
“You shouldn’t have,” she interjected. Her hands that were resting on the table hardened into fists.
“You should have resisted it, Nancy. You know I would have if I were you.”
“I tried…” I whispered brokenly as the tears finally hit my throat, causing it to close up.
“I swear I tried. It…It just wasn’t working.”
“I swear, I didn’t wake up one day and just decide to betray you. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“You’re my best friend.”
“A best friend you betrayed…”
“And that’s why I’m sorry, okay?” I cut in, a little too loudly.
Our conversation had gotten so heated that I didn’t even realise the lift in my voice.
“You don’t even have to try because I already feel like shit right now. I hate myself so much, and I would give anything to turn back the hands of time.”
Her eyes widened briefly.
I went on.
“I know I hurt you, Diana, and I know I am a terrible friend. I deserve everything you have to say to me, and if you want to curse me out, that’s fine too, but I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t at least try to ask your forgiveness.”
My tears surged to my eyes. Still, I tried to hold them back, but I couldn’t help the tremble of my voice.
“I’m so sorry, Diana. I’m so sorry that I don’t even know how to apologize to you. All I can say is sorry and hope that you eventually forgive me.”
“It wasn’t my intention to hurt you in the slightest, and I hate that I did. I fell in love with your Dad, which I shouldn’t have, while knowing it would hurt you, but I want you to know that I would undo everything to fix this.”
“I’ll change it all in a heartbeat.”
My words hung between us for a moment. Then, she broke the silence with the most unexpected question.
“Even if it meant losing my Dad? Would you still do that?”