IN LOVE WITH MY FATHER'S BILLONAIRE BESTFRIEND

SCARLETT

"Good morning."

The voice cut through the haze in my mind, soft and familiar, like it had always been part of my world. I knew that voice. It was the voice I had heard countless times in my father's house. The voice that sent my heart racing every time I heard it.

For a moment, I didn't move. I didn't even breathe. I just lay there, my eyes still closed, hoping-praying-that I was imagining things.

But I wasn't.

Slowly, I brushed the messy strands of hair out of my face and opened my eyes, blinking against the soft morning light.

And there he was.

Zayden.

Lying in bed.

Next to me.

Oh. My. God.

My breath caught in my throat, and my heart started pounding so hard I thought it might explode. I sat up slowly, clutching the blanket tightly around me, my hands trembling as I tried to process what I was seeing.

Zayden's face was pale, his dark hair tousled, and his eyes-those deep, intense eyes I'd always loved-were wide with shock. He looked like he couldn't believe this was happening either.

"What... what the hell?" he muttered, sitting up quickly. He ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening as he avoided looking at me.

My mind was racing, memories from last night flooding back in pieces, like shattered glass slicing through my thoughts. I remembered the fight with my dad. The club. The drinks. The kiss.

Oh, God.

I felt a wave of nausea as the realization hit me. I had just slept with my father's best friend.

Zayden was forty-six. My dad's age.

What have I done?

I had always liked Zayden. No, scratch that-I had always been obsessed with him. Ever since I was a teenager, he had been my secret crush, the man I fantasized about late at night when I was supposed to be sleeping.

My friends, Jessica and Clara, knew all about it. They used to tease me relentlessly whenever Zayden came over to visit my dad.

"Scarlett, stop drooling," Jessica would whisper, elbowing me as I stared at him from across the living room.

"You're going to marry him one day," Clara would joke, and we'd all laugh.

But it wasn't a joke to me. Not really.

I had tried everything to get his attention over the years. I remember when I turned sixteen and suddenly realized that I wasn't a kid anymore. My body had changed. I had curves, and I knew how to use them.

One time, I wore a tight, low-cut dress when I knew Zayden was coming over. I spent hours doing my hair and makeup, hoping he'd notice. And he did.

"Scarlett, aren't you a little young to be dressing like that?" he had said, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at my outfit.

My face had turned bright red, and I mumbled something about fashion before rushing upstairs. But deep down, I had been thrilled. He had noticed me.

Another time, I had accidentally-on-purpose dropped my notebook in front of him so I could bend down and pick it up, giving him a full view of my legs. I wasn't subtle, but I didn't care.

And then there was the time I had walked around the house barefoot, hoping he'd notice my pedicure. I'd heard somewhere that men had a thing for feet, and I was desperate to catch his attention any way I could.

But no matter what I did, Zayden always treated me like a kid.

Until last night.

"Scarlett, say something," Zayden said, his voice breaking through my thoughts.

I blinked, realizing I had been staring at him in stunned silence.

"This... this can't be real," I whispered. "Tell me this isn't real."

"It's real," he said, his voice low and rough. "We... we slept together."

The words hung in the air like a dark cloud, suffocating me.

"This is wrong," he added, shaking his head. "I'm your father's best friend, Scarlett. I'm way too old for you. This should never have happened."

"But it did," I said, my voice trembling. "And you can't tell me you didn't want it."

He flinched, like my words had physically hurt him.

"Don't do this," he said, his voice tight. "Don't make this harder than it already is."

Angel ❤️, [4/1/2025 8:35 AM]

"Make what harder?" I demanded, my anger bubbling to the surface. "Admitting that you've wanted me just as much as I've wanted you?"

"Scarlett..."

"No, don't 'Scarlett' me!" I snapped, throwing the blanket off and standing up. "You think I haven't noticed the way you've looked at me all these years? You think I haven't seen the way your eyes follow me every time you come over?"

His jaw tightened, and he looked away, like he couldn't bear to meet my gaze.

"I was just a kid back then," I continued, my voice rising. "But I'm not a kid anymore. And you knew that last night. You knew exactly what you were doing."

He stood up too, towering over me, his face inches from mine. "I was drunk," he said through gritted teeth. "We both were."

"So what? Are you saying it didn't mean anything?"

He didn't answer.

The silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.

"Just admit it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Admit that you've wanted me all along."

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. When he opened them again, they were filled with something that looked a lot like pain.

"It doesn't matter what I want," he said quietly. "It can't happen. We can't happen."

My chest tightened, and for a moment, I thought I might cry. But I didn't. I refused to cry in front of him.

"Fine," I said, my voice cold. "If that's how you feel, then get out."

He looked at me, his eyes searching mine like he was trying to find something-some reason to stay, maybe. But then he nodded, grabbed his shirt from the floor, and walked toward the door.

Just as he reached for the handle, the door swung open.

And there, standing in the doorway, was the last person I ever expected to see.

My father.

SCARLETT

"Hey, Collins, what are you doing here?"

The sound of my father's voice was like a thunderclap in the quiet room, shaking me to my core. My heart stopped for a second before hammering furiously in my chest. I pressed my back harder against the wall, hoping I could somehow melt into it and disappear.

Zayden, standing a few feet from me, looked equally shaken. His face paled as he turned toward the door, forcing a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I just came by because I heard you were here, so I wanted to see you about something," Zayden said casually, though his voice had a slight tremble.

"Oh, really?" My dad's voice was calm, too calm, and that scared me more than if he had been yelling.

I bit my lip, my breath shallow as I stood frozen behind the wall. If my dad found me here, everything would be over. He would explode, and Zayden would be in serious trouble.

My father had always been overprotective-okay, maybe that was an understatement. He had a history of losing it whenever he caught me with any guy. I still remembered the time he almost shot a boy who dared to ask me out. Another time, he caught me kissing someone, and he nearly ran the poor guy over with his truck.

And now? This wasn't just any guy. This was Zayden-his best friend.

I held my breath as I peeked around the corner. My dad was standing with his arms crossed, staring Zayden down like he was trying to read his mind. Zayden, to his credit, looked calm on the outside, but I knew him well enough to see the tension in his jaw and the way his hands fidgeted at his sides.

"I'll catch up with you later, man," Zayden said suddenly, walking toward the door.

For a terrifying moment, I thought my dad might stop him, but he just nodded and stepped aside. Zayden walked out without looking back, and I released a shaky breath, my knees feeling like they might give out.

When I was sure they were both gone, I grabbed my phone from the bed and rushed out of the room. My heart was still racing as I hurried down the hallway, trying to process what had just happened.

"Scarlett, what the heck just happened?" I muttered to myself, my mind spinning.

I had just narrowly avoided disaster. Thank God my dad hadn't found me in that room. If he had... I didn't even want to think about it.

As soon as I was outside, I pulled out my phone and called Jessica, my best friend.

"Hey, Jess, you won't believe what just happened," I whispered, glancing around to make sure no one could hear me.

"What? Did you actually do it?" she asked, her voice filled with excitement.

I hesitated, my cheeks burning. "Yeah. I did it. With him."

Jessica gasped so loudly I had to hold the phone away from my ear. " With who?" Jessica's voice rang.

"With Zayden." I whispered my hands ribbing the bedsheet and anything I could see.

"iOh my God! Really! Are you serious? You actually slept with Zayden?"

"Yes!" I said, a mix of excitement and panic in my voice. "And now I think my dad might have figured it out. He almost caught us this morning!"

"No way," Jessica breathed. "What happened?"

I quickly explained everything-the fight, the night at the club, waking up next to Zayden, and my dad showing up right as we were trying to sneak out.

"This is insane," Jessica said when I finished. "I can't believe you finally did it. You've been obsessed with Zayden for years."

"I know," I said, my heart still racing. "But now I don't know what to do. What if my dad finds out?"

"Just act normal," Jessica said. "He doesn't know anything, right?"

"I don't think so," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure.

"Tell us more about it. " Clara's voice came out of nowhere.

"Alright, let me meet you guys at Sanka restaurant." I said grinning from ear to ear as I dropped down my phone and was dressed up quickly.

As I left the hotel I couldn't stop thinking of the way he felt towards me. The way he fucked me. He was the best. I knew he was. And now ftee that sex I think I've fallen deeply in love with him. I'm missing him already. What do I do to make him mine?

Angel ❤️, [4/1/2025 8:35 AM]

I was still thinking I felt a hand grab my arm. Before I could react, two men in black suits appeared out of nowhere and dragged me toward a car parked at the curb.

"Who the heck are you guys! Who sent you!" I yelled but they were strong.

"Hey! Let me go!" I shouted, struggling against their grip.

They didn't say a word as they shoved me into the backseat and slammed the door.

My heart was pounding in terror as the car sped off, taking me straight home.

When we arrived, the men pulled me out of the car and escorted me into the house. My dad was waiting for me in the living room, his face dark with anger.

"Sit," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

I sat down, my hands trembling in my lap. Zayden was there too, standing near the window with his arms crossed. He wouldn't meet my eyes.

My dad paced back and forth in front of me, his jaw clenched. Finally, he stopped and turned to me, holding up his phone.

"Care to explain this?" he asked, showing me a picture on the screen.

My blood ran cold.

It was a photo of me and Zayden at the club last night. We were standing close, too close, and it was obvious from the way we were looking at each other that something had happened between us.

My heart started racing again as I realized the truth.

Someone had seen us.

And now my dad knew everything.

SCARLETT

"Tell me now, what the heck is going on here?" my father yelled, his voice shaking the entire room. I flinched, trembling under his intense glare. My mind went blank, my heart pounding so loudly I could barely hear anything else.

I didn't know where to start. I didn't even know what to say. How could I explain this mess without making it worse? I was frozen, staring at the floor, hoping it would somehow swallow me whole.

And then, out of nowhere, someone spoke.

"She was actually with me," came the calm, composed voice I least wanted to hear right now. My head snapped up, and my stomach twisted into knots. Standing at the door, with a smug expression plastered on his face, was Vincent-my father's trusted business partner and the man he had been pushing me to marry.

My father's expression immediately softened. His face lit up with relief, and for a moment, I almost thought I imagined it.

"Oh, so it was you in the picture!" my father exclaimed, glancing between Vincent and the photo on his phone. He smiled broadly, as though all the tension had just melted away. "Well, that makes sense. You two look great together."

No. No, no, no. I wanted to scream. I wasn't with Vincent in that picture-I was with Zayden. But they looked so similar from certain angles, and in the dim lighting of the club, it must have been easy to mistake one for the other. I think it's for the best. I can't let my father know that I had a one night stand with Zayden, his best friend.

Vincent didn't bother correcting him. Instead, he smiled coolly and stepped further inside, like he owned the place.

"Yes, sir. Scarlett was with me," he said smoothly. "We had a wonderful time last night." He threw me a sly wink that made my skin crawl.

I glanced at Zayden, who was standing near the window, his face unreadable. His jaw was clenched, and his fists were curled tightly at his sides. Was he angry? Upset? I couldn't tell. He wouldn't even look at me.

"Well, Scarlett," my father said, turning to me with a wide grin, "why didn't you tell me you were spending time with Vincent? I would've been overjoyed!"

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "I... I didn't think it was important."

"Not important?" My dad laughed. "This is wonderful news! It means the wedding can happen sooner than we planned."

Wedding? What wedding? My heart stopped.

Vincent chuckled softly, a dark glint in his eyes. "Yes, sir. Scarlett and I have been getting to know each other better, and I think things are moving in the right direction."

What the heck was happening? This wasn't real. This couldn't be real.

I opened my mouth to protest, but my father cut me off. "I'm so proud of you, Scarlett. This is exactly what I wanted for you. Vincent is a good man. He'll take care of you."

I felt like I was drowning. My mind was spinning, and I couldn't think straight. I glanced at Zayden again, silently begging him to say something, to stop this madness, but he just stared out the window, his expression cold and distant.

Before I could say anything, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," I mumbled, desperate for a moment to clear my head.

I opened the door and froze. Standing there were two men in dark suits, their faces grim and serious.

"Scarlett Evans?" one of them asked.

"Yes," I said hesitantly.

"We're here on official business. We need to speak with your father."

I blinked in confusion, stepping aside to let them in. My father's smile vanished the moment he saw them.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

One of the men stepped forward, holding up a badge. "Mr. Evans, we're here to inform you that you're under investigation for embezzlement and financial fraud."

My father's face turned pale. "What? That's ridiculous! I haven't done anything wrong!"

"We have evidence suggesting otherwise," the man said grimly. "We'll need you to come with us for questioning."

"No!" I cried, stepping between them. "There must be some mistake!"

Angel ❤️, [4/1/2025 8:35 AM]

"I'm afraid there's no mistake, Miss Evans," the man said. And before I knew it, they had handcuffed my father and were leading him out the door.

Tears streamed down my face as I watched them take him away. My entire world was falling apart, and I had no idea how to fix it.

"This can't be true. My father didn't do this! Stop! Don't take him away!" I screamed, my voice cracking as tears streamed down my face. I lunged forward, but two officers held me back, their expressions grim and unyielding. No matter how hard I struggled, they wouldn't let me go after him. I watched helplessly as they dragged my father out of the house in handcuffs. His face was pale, his eyes hollow, and he didn't look back at me.

The door slammed shut behind them, and the silence that followed was deafening.

Days passed in a blur. I barely moved from my room. I ignored my friends' texts, refused their calls, and shut out the world. I didn't want to talk to anyone. What was there to say? My life was falling apart, crumbling like sand slipping through my fingers, and I was powerless to stop it.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my father's face-haunted, broken-and the image stabbed at my heart like a knife.

Then, one morning, everything got worse.

It was a quiet day. Too quiet. I was sitting on the front steps, staring at nothing in particular, when a black car pulled up in front of the house. Three men in suits stepped out, their faces cold and indifferent.

"Are you Scarlett?" one of them asked.

I nodded, my throat dry. Something about them made my skin crawl.

"We're here to inform you that, as per court orders, this house is being seized due to your father's conviction. You need to vacate the premises immediately."

"What?" I blinked, my mind struggling to process their words. "No, this is my home. You can't just-"

"Your father has been found guilty," the man interrupted, his voice flat and emotionless. "Everything he owns, including this property, now belongs to the state. You have until the end of the day to gather your belongings and leave."

They didn't wait for me to respond. Instead, they turned and began placing locks on the front door. I watched in stunned silence, my body frozen in place.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "No, no, no. This can't be happening."

But it was.

I begged them, pleaded with everything I had, but they ignored me, acting as though I didn't exist. When they were done, they drove away without another word, leaving me standing on the front lawn, staring at the house I had grown up in-now locked and off-limits.

For a moment, I just stood there, numb. Then the weight of everything hit me all at once, and my knees buckled beneath me. I was falling, spiraling into the abyss of despair.

But before I hit the ground, strong arms wrapped around me, catching me.

I gasped, looking up, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," he said softly, helping me stand up properly.

"No, it's not," I whispered, wiping my tears. "I've lost everything. My dad is in jail, and I have nothing left."

Zayden hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "You can stay with me," he said quietly.

I looked up at him, shocked. "What?"

"You can stay at my place," he repeated. "I'm your dad's best friend, and I promised him I'd look out for you. I can't let you live on the streets, Scarlett."

I stared at him, my heart racing. Was this really happening?

Zayden's jaw tightened. "You're coming with me."

I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile. This was my chance. My chance to make Zayden fall for me.

And I wasn't going to waste it.