Page 214 of The Bittersweet Bond

Richard Montgomery folded the newspaper and took a sip of coffee, unfazed. “There’s a difference between youthful recklessness and a deliberate escalation that shows on your face the next morning.”

Unfortunately, his father wasn’t wrong. His face and the bruising around his eye gave him away. “Don’t worry. I still look better than most of the guys you know.”

His father let out a quiet laugh, a cold, humorless sound. “Charming as ever.” He pushed the newspaper aside, leaned back, and regarded Bas with a gaze that felt more like an assessment. “How are you feeling?”

Bas glanced up briefly before turning his attention back to the plate in front of him. “When were you going to tell me about the internship?”

“Thanks for asking how I’m doing,” his father finally replied, his voice calm and measured.

“Spare me the pleasantries,” Bas shot back, leaning back and folding his arms. “You knew exactly what you were doing when you planned this. I heard it from Alexander. So I’ll ask again: when were you planning to tell me?”

“And once you heard about it, you got into a fight with that poor boy?” his father asked sarcastically.

Bas ignored the comment and waited for a real answer.

“I would have told you when the time was right.”

“The time was right?” Bas laughed bitterly. “When would that have been? A week before I leave?”

“Something like that,” His dad began, but Bas cut him off.

“You only set this up because you want me gone. You want me away from Evin.”

His father leaned back, his coffee cup in hand, and took a measured sip. “Evin is not the reason, Sebastian. This is about you. Your future.”

“Bullshit!” Bas slammed his palm down on the table, causing the porcelain to rattle softly. “You know damn well it’s about her. You hate that I’m with her because she doesn’t fit into your perfect little world.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” His dad's tone was still calm, but there was a sharpness now that hadn’t been there before. “I’m not doing this to make your life harder. Harvard is a chance most people only dream of. The internship is a stepping stone—for you. For everything you’ve ever wanted.”

“For everythingyouwant,” Bas corrected him, his eyes cold.

“For you.”

“This isn’t for me.”

His dad set down his cup, leaned forward, and looked directly at Bas. “This is ridiculous. Everything I do is for you. So that you can make the most of your life. Do you think I worked this hard so you could throw it all away?”

Bas’s jaw clenched, his hands balled into fists. “Make the most of my life?” Then Basleaned forward, his voice quiet but charged. “What about what I want? What if I want to be with Evin? What if I don’t want to spend my summer here? Does that matter at all?”

“If your relationship is as strong as you think it is, then a few weeks apart shouldn’t be a problem.” His father shook his head, amused.

“That’s not the point!”

“Good! Then you shouldn’t be afraid of a little distance. It’s time to grow up.”

The words made the tension in the air explode. Bas stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. He stared at his father, his heart pounding in his chest. For a moment, he just stood there, hands braced against the table, his thoughts racing.

“I’m so done with this!”

Then he turned and walked away without another word. The door closed with a dull thud behind him.

Chapter 57

Halfway Gone

Evin

Afaint, electric tingling sensation coursed through her body—sharper, more vivid than simple nerves. It was that feeling caught between excitement and tension, like the fleeting moment right before a first kiss or the breathless rush of sprinting, unsure if the ground beneath your feet might suddenly disappear.

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