Sleeping With My Step Daddy
Chapter 75: "Ring On The Floor"

Chapter 75: "Ring On The Floor"

The car slowly came to a stop in front of an old café.

Kai looked out the window, puzzled.

"Why did Dad bring me to an old café?" he thought.

Takeshi gently said,

Takeshi: "Let’s go, son."

The guards stepped forward, opening the car doors. Takeshi and Kai both got out.

Kai followed closely behind as Takeshi led him to the front entrance.

The café looked like it had been closed for years—dusty windows, faded paint, a quiet kind of stillness surrounding it.

Kai hesitated, glancing around.

Kai: "Dad, why are you taking me here?"

Takeshi didn’t answer right away. He simply pushed open the creaky door.

Takeshi: "Let’s sit down."

They stepped inside. The air smelled faintly of old wood and forgotten memories. Takeshi guided Kai to a table near the window.

They both sat down.

Kai looked around, still confused.

Kai: "What is this place?"

Takeshi glanced around the room with a gentle smile, his eyes distant.

Takeshi: "This... is where your mom and I first met."

Kai’s expression changed, eyes widening slightly.

Kai: "Really?"

Takeshi chuckled softly, eyes filled with warmth.

Takeshi: "Yes. Jennifer used to work here. I started coming regularly just to see her."

A soft light filled Takeshi’s eyes, the glow of memory settling into his expression.

Kai asked quietly,

Kai: "How did you meet Mom?"

Takeshi leaned back slightly, voice calm as he spoke of the past.

Takeshi: "One day, I was completely drained from work. The office workload was too much, and I skipped my meals. After work, it was late and freezing cold, but I was starving. I came here, hoping it might still be open."

He smiled faintly at the memory.

Takeshi: "That night, I saw Jennifer for the first time—she was just closing up. I asked her if she could open the café again because I was hungry, and... she did. She made me a slice of cake and a hot cup of coffee."

Takeshi’s smile grew softer.

Takeshi: "After that, I started coming every day... and eventually, I fell for her. One day, I proposed. Five months later, we got married. And after our marriage—she gave me the most beautiful gift."

He looked at Kai warmly.

Takeshi: "That gift... was you."

Kai’s eyes softened. His lips trembled just slightly, and tears began to shine in his eyes.

He looked down, his heart aching.

He missed his mother so much.

Takeshi gently reached across the table and held Kai’s hand, his voice soft and heartfelt.

Takeshi: "You are the gift she gave me, Kai. I don’t want to lose you. And I don’t want you making decisions that could hurt you later. I’m your father—you’re my blood."

Kai’s eyes widened. His heart started pounding. He could feel a heavy weight in the air, something serious pressing in on them.

Takeshi continued, his voice steady but firm.

Takeshi: "Kai, Sebastian Vaughn isn’t right for you. Not as a life partner. He’s too much older than you. I know he’s important to you... but being important doesn’t make someone the right person to build a life with."

Kai’s throat tightened. He blinked quickly as his vision blurred. Tears fell silently down his cheeks.

Kai: "Dad... I didn’t just decide. He’s my love."

Takeshi shook his head, gripping Kai’s hand gently but with a father’s firm conviction.

Takeshi: "Kai, that’s not love. You’re obsessed with him. It’s infatuation. Temporary. You’re still young, and I promise... with time, you’ll realize this isn’t what you truly want."

Kai’s voice trembled, his chest heaving with emotion.

Kai: "Dad, no... I truly love him. Without him, I’m... I’m incomplete."

Takeshi leaned back slightly, his expression hardening.

Takeshi: "But Kai, I won’t allow you to make him your boyfriend."

Kai’s heart raced. He stared at his father, disbelief and hurt swirling in his eyes.

Kai: "Dad..."

Takeshi’s voice dropped low, eyes fixed on his son.

Takeshi: "Kai... then choose. Me or Sebastian Vaughn."

Kai froze. His heart cracked, tears spilling down his cheeks.

Kai: "Dad... I can’t lose both of you. Please..."

But Takeshi’s expression turned cold, filled with despair.

Takeshi: "Then I have no reason to live. I already lost my wife. And now, I’m losing my son too. I have nothing left."

**Before Kai could react, Takeshi reached inside his coat—and pulled out a gun.

He placed it against his own temple.

Kai’s entire body jolted in horror.

Kai (shouting): "Dad! What are you doing?! Dad, stop!"

Takeshi gripped the gun tightly, his eyes filled with pain.

Takeshi: "Kai... I have no reason to live. So I should just... die."

Kai collapsed to his knees, sobbing.

Kai (screaming): "No! Dad, no! Please don’t!"

But Takeshi didn’t lower the gun. His hand trembled, his face calm but broken. Kai’s cries echoed through the empty café.

Kai finally choked out the words—words he never imagined saying.

Kai: "Okay! Dad—okay! I’ll break up with Bast. I won’t meet him again... Just—just don’t do this. Please..."

Takeshi’s fingers loosened around the gun. Slowly, he lowered it. Kai rushed forward, grabbed the weapon, and threw it across the floor.

Kai: "I’ll do whatever you say... Just—don’t ever do this again..."

Takeshi let out a trembling breath. His expression softened with regret.

Takeshi: "I’m sorry, son. I’m sorry. I just... I couldn’t take it."

He pulled Kai into a tight hug. Kai clung to his father, tears still falling.

Takeshi whispered: "One day, you’ll see... what you did wasn’t wrong. It was right. You’ll understand that, my beloved son."

Kai couldn’t speak. He held onto his father, shattered and confused, feeling like he’d just lost something... something he wasn’t ready to let go of.

After the long, silent drive, Kai and Takeshi returned home.

Kai’s eyes were red. His face blank. He looked like a shell of himself—drained, soulless, almost like a dummy.

His phone buzzed repeatedly.

Bast was calling again.

Kai looked down at the screen. It flashed Sebastian Vaughn. He didn’t answer.

Takeshi glanced at him.

Kai (quietly): "Dad..."

Takeshi (softly): "I believe you, Kai."

He smiled, gently patted Kai’s back, then turned and walked into the mansion.

Kai didn’t follow.

He stepped back outside. The guards bowed.

Kai: "Give me the keys."

The driver quickly handed over the car keys. Without a word, Kai got into the car and drove off—alone.

His phone vibrated again. A text from Bast lit up the screen.

> "I’m waiting at my place. Don’t be late, baby. I can’t wait to see you."

Kai stared at the message. His hands tightened around the wheel. Tears welled in his eyes, blurring the road ahead.

After what felt like hours, he finally arrived in front of Bast’s place.

He sat in the car, breathing heavily, trying to calm his racing heart.

Then he stepped out and opened the door.

Bast was already waiting inside.

Bast (smiling): "Good evening, my baby."

He pulled Kai close by the waist and dragged him inside, kissing him passionately.

But Kai didn’t respond.

His body remained frozen in Bast’s arms.

Bast pulled back, his smile slowly fading as he looked into Kai’s teary eyes.

Bast (softly): "Kai... are you okay? Why are your eyes red?"

Kai didn’t speak. He took a shaky step back, slipped the ring off his finger... and held it out.

Bast’s face dropped.

Bast (confused): "Kai? What is this? What are you doing?"

Kai’s hand trembled as he extended the ring to him—silent, broken, and full of grief.

Bast (shocked): "Kai... are you kidding me?"

Kai finally spoke, his voice hollow.

Kai: "Bast... let’s break up."

It hit Bast like a bullet. His heart started pounding—fast and violent. The man who stood strong through everything now felt like the ground beneath him was collapsing.

He grabbed Kai’s shoulders, gripping tightly.

Bast (desperate): "What the hell are you saying, Kai?"

Kai (coldly): "I’m done with you."

Bast (pleading): "Is Takeshi threatening you?"

Kai: "No one’s threatening me. I’m just done. I don’t want to marry an old man."

Bast’s breath hitched.

Kai (harshly): "I want a life partner who’s my age. Someone who matches my pace. Understand, Sebastian Vaughn?"

Bast’s eyes filled with tears. He just stood there, staring at Kai, refusing to believe what he was hearing.

He didn’t take the ring.

Kai threw it on the floor.

It clinked against the tiles, echoing like the sound of something breaking.

Then he turned his back.

Bast rushed forward, wrapping his arms around Kai from behind.

Bast (brokenly): "Kai... I’m your Bast. How could you do this to me?"

Kai didn’t answer. He struggled to pull away, but Bast held him tighter.

Kai (shouting): "Let me go!"

He pushed Bast off, stormed to the door, and flung it open.

But Bast wasn’t done. He grabbed Kai’s wrist, refusing to let go.

Bast (voice trembling): "Kai... you don’t mean this. Please, don’t—"

Kai turned to face him, eyes red and raging.

Kai (cold, final): "If you ever loved me even once... then sell the shares back to my dad. And leave Japan."

He yanked his arm away.

Kai (spitting every word): "Your existence... is annoying to me."

Bast stood frozen, disbelief and pain mixing in his glassy eyes.

Kai didn’t look back. He walked out... leaving Bast alone with nothing but silence and a ring on the floor.