CHAPTER 302: CHAPTER 302 HISTORY REPEATS

Joseph’s POV

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve stared at that message, at that fucking photo. Sophia sent it to me. In the picture, my father had Ava pressed against the wall at the social club, kissing her neck with disgusting intimacy.

The message simply read. "Your father’s new plaything." Those words cut through me like a red-hot blade.

The image brought back memories I’d tried to bury. Nicole, my first love, the woman I thought I’d marry. I’d found her in my father’s bed, naked and shameless, laughing when she saw my face.

"Sorry, Joseph," she’d purred, "but older men know how to treat a woman."

The betrayal had nearly destroyed me then.

Was this what happened every time I let myself fall for someone? Every time I opened my heart, my bastard father swooped in like a vulture?

Dean, my wolf, stirred restlessly in my mind. "Ava wouldn’t do this to us," he growled. "She’s not like Nicole. You know she’s not."

"You don’t get it, Dean," I snapped back. "You don’t understand how complicated this shit is. Women always want what they can’t have."

"You’re being an idiot," Dean snarled. "Ava loves US, not him."

"Fuck off," I told him, slamming up the mental barriers between us. Dean’s hurt silence was deafening, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t handle his naive optimism right now.

I hadn’t seen Ava for days. She kept telling me she was supporting Caroline, spending time with the girls, coming up with different excuses every day.

Then one fucking night, Sophia’s message arrived. I wanted to kill my father, but I couldn’t face Ava.

So the next day, I went to the social club, found Sophia, and fucked her in the parking lot like I’d done countless times before.

Days passed. Antonio had gone home, but my father kept lurking around.

Flora arranged another lunch, and I had to tell everyone Ava couldn’t make it because of other plans. The moment my father walked in, I wanted to bolt. He followed me out.

"Son, you won’t even grace me with your presence?" His voice dripped with mockery.

"I am not your son!" I turned, hatred filling my eyes. "Stay the hell away from me."

"Impossible! We’re so alike, we have so much in common..." His venomous laugh made his meaning clear. I lunged at him, grabbing his throat.

"Don’t ever speak to me again, you piece of shit. I am not your son!" I shouted in his face, and if sister hadn’t stopped me, I would have beaten him to a pulp.

"I told you, son, I’m better than you. They always prefer me!" My father yelled after me, laughing like the devil himself as I walked away.

I got in my car and peeled out. On the way, I called Sophia, picked her up at her place, and spent the rest of Sunday fucking her in some shitty motel room. But it didn’t ease my pain.

Since receiving that photo and running into my asshole father at my sister’s, I’d been avoiding Ava for days. It felt like my world was falling apart. I couldn’t face her, didn’t know if it was anger or fear that she’d confirm she preferred my father.

Yet she kept calling. Weirdly, Eleanor and the guys hadn’t mentioned anything, even though the girls must have known. Maybe they didn’t know she was with my dad, but they surely knew we weren’t in contact. No one had said a word to me. Only Julia kept asking why I wouldn’t take Ava’s calls, since I’d explicitly told her not to put Ava through.

To forget Ava, I’d been sleeping with Sophia more frequently than I should. I even bailed early the day before yesterday to take her to the same motel. I told Eleanor I was meeting my nephew, since she hated that Sophia was buddies with Ella, which I totally got.

Ava had called my cell and office daily, leaving messages with Julia. But strangely, today she hadn’t called once.

Had she finally given up? I should be relieved—this was what I wanted, for her to fuck off. So why didn’t I feel the slightest bit of relief? I left the office and went straight home, wanting nothing more than a shower, a stiff drink, and to pass out.

I’d barely been home when the doorbell rang. Sophia stood there, grinning like an idiot.

"Hey, baby! You vanished for two whole days!" she said, walking in. I wasn’t in the mood for her bullshit.

"I’m beat, Sophia. I just want to crash." I answered, closing the door and turning away.

"Look, me too!" She wrapped her arms around my neck. "Come on, let me help you chill out."

For the first time, I had sex with Sophia in my bed. The same bed where Ava and I had lain countless times.

I don’t know what came over me, whether it was the alcohol or the pain, but as Sophia and I fell asleep, my mind was filled with images of Ava.

"Baby, can we order pizza?" Sophia asked sweetly, walking out of the bathroom.

"Yeah, whatever," I answered, ordering pizza before heading to shower.

I stayed in the shower for a long time, thinking about how to dump Sophia.

When I came out, I decided to indulge her a bit longer, then take her home later. That’s when the doorbell rang. I quickly pulled on my boxers and headed toward the living room, calling out to Sophia.

"Is that the pizza, sexy?"

When I looked toward the door, I felt dizzy. Sophia stood there wearing only my shirt, leaning against the open door. Outside stood Ava, her gaze shifting between Sophia and me, her face filled with horror, tears welling in her eyes.

What the fuck was happening?