Page 92 of Northern Stars

A look of shock found her eyes as she realized that I lacked a few key details in Hailee’s and my break-up. “Sorry. That was a slip of the tongue. You better get that order to your mom and—”

“Penny,” I urged. “What are you talking about?”

She looked down at her hands and swallowed hard before speaking. “Your father asked her to stop seeing you. Hailee only told me after she had one too many drinks on her twenty-first birthday. She made me promise not to tell anyone, but my big mouth just let it slip.”

My dead heart found a few faint beats. “Why would he do that?”

“He figured it would damage your career after Hailee’s issues. He thought you were focusing too much more on her than your own career, so he told her how selfish it was of her to stand in your way.” She shook her head with defeat. “I’d never seen Hailee struggle so much with a decision, Aiden. I need you to know that giving you up was the hardest thing she’s ever had to do. She loved you more than you’ll ever know, and—”

“My father did this? Told her to stay away?”

She frowned. “I didn’t mean to let that slip out, Aiden. I wouldn’t have told you if—”

“Sorry, Penny, I have to go.”

“Aiden, wait.”

“Yes?”

She sighed before rubbing her hand against the back of her neck. “Hailee lives in the apartment right above the bakery.” She gestured toward the ceiling. “If you need to have another run-in with her.”

“Thank you.” I grabbed the paper bag and stormed out of the bakery. I felt sick to my stomach as I replayed Penny’s words repeatedly in my mind.

When I arrived at Mom and Dad’s place, I pounded on the front door. Mom opened it, giving me her wide smile. “Hey, sweetheart. I see you’ve got the bread—”

“Where’s Dad?” I cut in, marching past her into their foyer.

“He’s in the kitchen. What’s going on?”

I didn’t reply to her as I headed through their house. The second my eyes spotted my father, I barked his way, “Is it true?”

He turned to see me with the same kind of smile that Mom had.

“Is what true?”

“About Hailee. Did you tell her to break up with me because it would’ve damaged my career?”

The smile evaporated from his face, and his eyes grew somber. That was enough of an answer for me.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and looked down to the floor before looking back up at me. “Now, listen, Aiden…”

Mom stood in shock. At least it appeared she wasn’t in on this bullshit. “That can’t be true, Samuel. You wouldn’t—”

“He did.” I gestured toward my father, the man I trusted most in my life. The man who’d betrayed me. “Tell her what you did.”

He sighed and crossed his arms. “I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought having you involved with her while she was going through her own issues when your career was taking off would’ve been detrimental to your success.”

“You told Hailee to break up with him all those years ago?” Mom questioned, flabbergasted. “Sam, that broke his heart. You’ve watched it, too. How could you?”

“I was trying to do the right thing. You must understand, Aiden. I was doing what I thought was the best and—”

“Fuck you,” I blurted out, rage building inside me as I realized what really happened between Hailee and me.

“Aiden, watch it. I’m still your father,” he ordered as if that meant anything to me anymore.

“No. You’re nothing to me.”

“Now, Aiden. Wait. We need to clear our heads before we say something we don’t mean,” Mom warned, trying to keep the peace, but there was nothing to be kept.

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