My Dad's Bestfriend

Chapter 235

Evelyn

"Tyler, stop the car!"

I screamed, grabbing the wheel, clawing at his arm, fighting with whatever broken, frayed strength I had left in me.

But he didn't stop. He didn't even flinch.

"Sit the fuck back, Evelyn," he snapped, shoving me sideways with a force that rattled my spine. "You make another sound, I'll put a bullet through your skull- and your little girl along with it."

He tossed a water bottle at me like I was just another problem he needed to shut up.

"Here. Drink it. You sound like shit."

I stared at him like he'd gone mad.

Had he gone mad?

He was being hunted-seconds away from getting shot, from dying-and he was tossing me fucking water?

"You really don't get it, do you? It's over!" I shouted, twisting open the bottle and hurling the water right at his face. Rage erupted out of me, unfiltered. The terror, the trauma, the helplessness—it all snapped. "They're going to kill you, Tyler!"

He flinched but didn't lose control. Just wiped the dripping water from his face slowly, like it didn't even faze him.

"Don't push it, Evelyn," he growled, eyes cold.

"Tyler. This is your final warning. Surrender the hostage and stop the vehicle."

The blonde's voice thundered from the mic behind us, clipped and cold. "You're boxed in. Let her go, or we'll shoot."

The car behind us was inches away now. I could hear the tires grinding on the narrow road-both sides lined with deep canals. There was no more room. No escape.

And Tyler?

He leaned his head out of the window and laughed.

Laughed.

"Fuck off," he shouted, voice manic, "bunch of fucking idiots!"

I grabbed Chloe's phone and dialed my hands shaking uncontrollably.

"Jacob?" My voice cracked.

"Evelyn?!" Jacob's voice shot through the line like lightning. "Did he hurt you? Baby, are you okay?"

But before I could speak, Tyler leaned in, grinning darkly.

"Hey, buddy." His voice was sickly sweet, venom wrapped in sugar. "I'm about to kill your Evelyn. You hear that? I hope the mic picks up the gunshot when I blow her fucking brains out. I might just paint the car red."

I froze.

My blood turned to ice as he pulled the gun from his pocket.

"No, no, no-Tyler, no!"

Jacob's voice rang through the speaker-frantic, broken.

I couldn't breathe.

The cold steel pressed against the side of my head.

I shut my eyes, hand clenching the phone so tight I thought it'd snap. My lips

moved before I could stop them.

"...I'm sorry, Jacob."

But the shot never came.

Seconds dragged.

And then-

I opened my eyes.

was still staring at me—but something was wrong. His jaw was

The gun

And then...

He dropped it.

landed in my lap

he floored

Everything blurred.

anymore. Couldn't hear the

hear anything.

stared at the

Then at him.

at me. His eyes were locked

And I realized...

given me

wanted me to

voice was cautious,

He didn't answer.

"Tyler?" I said louder.

Still nothing.

The

plan... wasn't about hurting me. It was about ending

courage to do

someone

me the gun," I said slowly, still watching him.

He still didn't look at me,

Because if I'm forced to stop this car, I'll shoot you. I'll have to. That's how this

"You... don't mean that."

finally turned. He looked at me like I

Evelyn-I have you trapped. You. And your kid.

road. What the fuck do you think I

But not

From something else.

From pain.

the plan.

And for the first time... I

I felt pity.

Real, gut-wrenching pity.

kill me," I said softly. "You just didn't know what else to do with yourself. You were already gone inside. So you made this mess thinking it would make you feel something. You thought

His breathing hitched.

this whole thing. So

at all-they were making him tense. Because every time

didn't, even when you convinced yourself they did," I said, my voice low. "And you hated Jacob, because even after losing everythings he got u.al back The media turned him into a hero." Praised him. While you? You only got the backlash. The headlines. The villain's role. Because no one knew your story. And you weren't brave enough to tell it."

hands clenched on the

gently, "yet

stayed the

growled, his teeth grinding. "Stop making

your head, or I

women,"

what your mother did

you,

everything from Janet

but even

those years of snatching everything

s

ever told you... that

life threw at you."

hissed. "Get out

to kill you because I wanted

me peace."

did you hand

A pause.

hesitated, jaw flexing. "I

"That's a lie, Tyler."

fuck up, Evelyn!" he roared, finally snapping. "What is wrong with you? Why

Dwanted to kill you. I still do! So stop the sympathy get you damn senses back and walk away! Get back to your picture-perfect life.

"I'll shoot you in your pretty little