The Girl He Craves

Meredith’s pov

He hauled in a shaky breath, his eyes swimming with sadness. I had hit him with the

past, something that could potentially bring out the man he once was.

’She’s dead.” He whispered, pushing the photo away. “The dead can’t speak.'”

I blinked in sadness, pitying the man he is now today. “But they can still see and hear.

If mom was here, she’d smack you upside your head and then nurse your wounds.”

He clenched his fists, turning away from me completely.” Is this why you came here?

To remind me of why I’m actually doing what I’m doing? Look at me, Meredith.” His

eyes snapped up to mine suddenly and I had to take in a very sharp inhale as

emotions swam through the windows of his soul.

Father was in more pain than I realized.

’I’m a shell of a man because of her. I can love no other, I have a permanent hole in

my heart because of her. Love is selfish Meredith, the pain is unbearable. I tried to

save you from it too,” He looked over my shoulder at Grant.

He continued. “But I was too late. I need to save my grandson before it’s too late.”

I shook my head, reaching out for him. My heart ached for my father. A man who once

believed love was the answer to everything now made love his enemy. It was painful

and tormenting to watch him become this person.

When my fingers touched his hand, he flinched. His eyes swept to mine in shock. I

don’t remember the last time I held my father’s hand or the last time I voluntarily stood

this close to him.

After mom died, our father-daughter relationship was swept up and tom into shreds.

He would come home late from work, smell of booze, and trash the entire place.

I can recall listening to a few bottles shattering on the wall. I can even remember the

feeling of that broken glass piercing through my heel one of those mornings after

rampage.

He didn’t even flinch when I cried out in pain, he looked at me

day, his soulless eyes, and told the maid to

day too.

up alone in my room, crying my eyes out. My foot wasn’t

hurt that day,

I came to terms with the fact that I lost

mother.

day, we regarded each other coldly, like we were not father and daughter

what he asked and

But of course, I met Grant

“You’re wrong dad,’ I

him dad in a while too.

he heard my words. There’s

that reminded me of the past and the

it. Those years you shared with mom, I was sure were

you’ve ever been. Do you regret meeting her? Sharing life with her?

life with her?’

apple bob as he swallowed and croaked out. “No. I

it comes to your mother Meredith.’ He tore his eyes

pain deep

had to go back I’d do it all over again.” He whispered. “I’d

again. ■

heart squeezed. I could hear the raw emotions

‘Don’t you think you’re hurting her now that you’re trying to hurt her grandson

loves dearly. You’re trying to tear his family apart. Why

idea? Why do you want to hurt

snapped his eyes to me. “Don’t you see I’m trying to help him

your mother and would choose her all over again, but

Love

go of his hand, growing angry now that he was trying to justify his absurd

thinking. “Love is beautiful. Every bit of it

Stop hurting Aiden because of

fell in love with Grant, my father

marry into the Muralo’s. But Grant and I run away and never

way, he thinks that I

But he didn’t realize that it was his actions

He lost his wife and

In a way, I understood his loneliness and

any action they take,

‘I’m sorry for leaving you