Page 85 of His Red Carnation

“I’m talking aboutyou,” Ana snapped, standing up from her chair. Her eyes were blazing, her voice shaking with fury. “You ruined this family, Jake. You fucked Sarah. Youknewshe was crazy. You knew she was capable of lying and manipulating, and you didn’t care. You didn’t care about what it would do to us—what it would do to Sloane.”

Jake’s face tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. “Ana—”

“No,” she cut him off, her voice rising. “Esto es culpa tuya. You let Sarah get close enough to manipulate her way back into our lives because you wanted a quick fuckcon la maldita diabla. You didn’t care about anything—about the costs, about your family. You knew what she was capable of, and you didn’t care.”

Jake flinched, his jaw tightening, but he didn’t respond. He turned away, unable to look at either of us.

“She wasn’t after you,” I added, my voice lower and tinged with guilt. “She was using you to get to me. And you let her.”

Ana wasn’t done—she was fucking relentless as she practically cut me off and continued. “You destroyed everything. You failed us, Jake. You ruined this family just to have sex with her. And now our daughter is lying in that bed because ofyou.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. Jake didn’t say a word. His back was still turned, but I knew that what Ana said had gotten to him. How couldn’t it? She was fucking ruthless, but she was right.

Ana’s voice softened slightly, but the fury was still there. “Don’t you dare blame Callan for this. You knew exactly what Sarah was, and you brought her back into our lives anyway. This is all on you.”

It was silent again, the air tense and still. I looked down at Sloane, my heart heavy with guilt, but for the first time, it wasn’t just mine to carry.

39

Sloane

It had been a few weeks since the hospital, and while the dull ache in my side was still there, things felt calmer now. The worst of it was over, and the quiet comfort of Callan’s apartment had become exactly what I needed. Healing wasn’t just physical—it was the peace I felt here, wrapped in his blanket, knowing I was safe.

I curled up on the couch, the soft light filtering through the curtains, and let myself relax. I never knew love like this was possible—so steady and comforting. I had never felt so completely cared for, so at home. Callan had been by my side through all of it, taking care of me, and I loved him for it. I loved him in a way I didn’t know I could.

He was in the kitchen, making coffee like he did every morning. I could hear the soft clinks of mugs, the smell of the brew filling the air. Being with him like this, in these quiet moments, felt like something I’d never imagined I could have.

“You want some coffee?” he called from the kitchen, his voice gentle.

I smiled, sinking deeper into the cushions. “Yes, please, Daddy.”

A few minutes later, he came over, handing me a cup before sitting down beside me. He didn’t need to say anything, didn’t need to ask how I was feeling. We had been through enough, and now it was about just being here, together. Letting the rest of the world fade away while we stayed in this quiet little space we had carved out for ourselves.

I leaned my head against his shoulder, feeling his warmth. In this moment, I felt whole, like the outside world didn’t matter. With him, everything else faded.

But then, as I rested my head against Callan’s shoulder, my mind drifted back to the chaos that had led us here. It was crazy—terrifying, really—how everything had spiraled so quickly with Sarah. She wasn’t just some random threat; she had planned it all so carefully, down to the smallest detail.

My stomach twisted as I thought about how she had leaked the sex video of her and my dad to the media. She had help—someone working in the shadows, making sure that the story exploded everywhere. The scandal was too big, too ugly for anyone to contain, and it forced my dad to resign. The weight of it all still hung over me, suffocating at times.

I closed my eyes, trying to push the memories away, but they kept coming. Sarah’s twisted smile, the way she manipulated every situation, how she seemed to delight in tearing my family apart. My dad wasn’t innocent, though—he had made his choices. He had slept with her, knowing what kind of person she was.

But it wasn’t just the resignation that haunted me. It was my mom. She left him. My mom, always the one who held everything together, had finally walked away. I couldn’t blameher, but the weight of it all had been too much for me to carry. My family was broken, and every piece of it was a reminder of how things would never be the same.

I was angry at my dad. Angry that he had been so careless, that he hadn’t thought about what it would mean for us. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to forgive him for that.

Callan’s hand gently rested on my leg, pulling me out of the spiral. I hadn’t realized how tightly I’d been gripping the edge of the blanket, lost in the whirlwind of my thoughts.

“You okay?” he asked softly, his eyes filled with concern.

Callan’s hand stayed on my leg, grounding me, his presence pulling me back from the weight of everything. I took a deep breath, letting the warmth of his touch seep into me. It helped—hehelped.

“I’ll be alright,” I whispered, my voice softer than I intended, but I meant it. I turned to him, meeting his eyes. “Especially with you here.”

He didn’t say anything right away, but the look on his face was all I needed. His thumb gently traced circles on my leg, a silent reassurance that he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Being with you…it makes everything feel a little less heavy,” I said, my voice steadier.

His expression softened, his eyes filled with something deep, something that made me feel safe. “I got you, baby.”

---