Chapter 4
Tyler had already lost his mind. He didn’t hear the voice.
Nelson, however, looked overjoyed. He released Tyler and said, “Mr. Tyler, Mr. Skyler is back!”
The first thing Skyler saw when he strode into the house was how disheveled I looked while trying to save Calvin. My cheek was red and swollen, and my hair was a mess.
His expression darkened, and he surveyed the scene.
Tyler didn’t seem to notice this. He pointed at me and started complaining, “You’re finally back, Uncle Skyler! This tramp cheated on me! Look at how old her son is! I have to teach her and her bastard a lesson!”
A deadly silence descended upon everyone at his words. Skyler looked at Tyler icily. Then, he slapped the latter. “Open your eyes wide and look around properly-Aurora is my wife, and Calvin is my son!”
Tyler cupped a hand to his face, looking stunned. “What did you just say? Why can’t I understand you? How has Aurora become your wife? She’s mine! Did she ask you to go along with her act because she didn’t want her lies to be exposed?”
Skyler barked out an exasperated laugh, too annoyed to even waste his breath explaining. He came toward Tyler and me, rescuing Calvin from Tyler’s clutches.
When he saw the footprint on my chest and the handprint on my face, he glared at Nelson. “You’d better have an explanation for what happened here.”
Nelson fell to the floor in fear. “I told Mr. Tyler that Madam Aurora is your wife, Mr. Skyler! But he refused to listen and kept saying that Madam Aurora cheated on him!”
Calvin felt like he’d found his anchor when he saw Skyler. He wrapped his arms around Skyler and said through his tears, ” Daddy, he called me a bastard, and he said Mommy’s a tramp. He even kicked Mommy!”
Skyler dried his tears and smiled menacingly at Tyler.
Even until now, Tyler had no idea what was going on. “Uncle Skyler, why’d that bastard call you ‘Daddy’? He’s confusing me.”
Skyler kicked him without responding. “A bastard? If my son is a bastard, what are you? You should be one, too.”
He looked down at Tyler imperiously, his presence naturally commanding and daunting. He snarled, “Calvin is Rory’s and my son. Call him a bastard once more, and I’ll rip your tongue out.”
Tyler turned ashen. He looked past me at Skyler, sounding incredulous as he mumbled, “This can’t be. She’s my wife-how can she now be yours? You must be lying to me!”
Nelson couldn’t stand it anymore. “Mr. Tyler, I’ve told you that multiple times. You just refused to listen!”
Tyler turned to me, the anger in his eyes slowly dissipating. He was about to say something when Mary burst in while sobbing.” Oh, my darling! You’re still alive! I thought I wouldn’t ever see you again! I can die without regrets now!”
Tyler’s eyes were red-rimmed, and he grabbed Mary’s arm like he was desperate to prove something. He said, “Mom, Uncle Skyler said Aurora is his wife and that this is their son. Is that true?”
Mary instantly stopped crying. She said, “Everyone thought you were dead when you fled from the wedding, and Aurora married Skyler. The child is indeed their son.
“Why didn’t you ever call home when you were still alive? Do you know how hard it was for me to continue living with the knowledge that you were dead? I wish I could’ve died in your place!”
Tyler swayed on his feet. “I just wanted to take a breather abroad and take the opportunity to gather my thoughts. How could you guys let her marry someone else?”
Take a breather? Did he think he was a three-year-old? Why would anyone choose to go abroad for a breather on their wedding day? Did he take me for a fool?
He’d left me to deal with a hall full of guests and various rumors, yet he claimed he’d only done it because he needed time and space. He was all he ever thought about-no one else mattered to him.
I couldn’t understand why he was so willful, nor did I know when he’d become like this.
