If Only

Chapter 1 : Tyler's World

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Tyler Lewis sat at his desk, fingers hovering over the keyboard, eyes staring at the blinking cursor on the screen. The words wouldn’t come. They never did when he needed them most.

In the dim glow of his study lamp, the soft hum of his laptop seemed to mock him. As a writer, his job was to turn emotions into words, to give life to the intangible. Yet, sitting there, surrounded by stacks of drafts and scribbled notes, he felt as though he was running on empty. The novel he had been working on for months—a sweeping story about love and loss—had stalled.

His eyes drifted to the framed picture on his desk. It was an old family photograph, one that his mother had insisted on taking during a family vacation years ago. Tyler, barely in his twenties then, had a carefree smile on his face. His younger brother, Ethan, stood next to him, grinning ear to ear, their parents beaming with pride in the background.

How had things gotten so complicated?

"Ty, you coming to dinner?"

The voice belonged to his younger brother, Ethan, now 21 and a college student pursuing a degree in business, following in their father’s footsteps. Ethan had a natural charm about him, always the life of any gathering. He made everything look so easy. Tyler often envied his younger brother’s effortless way with people, and the bond Ethan shared with their parents—a bond that sometimes felt strained between Tyler and their father.

Tyler ran a hand through his dark hair and sighed. "Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute."

Ethan lingered at the door. "Still stuck on that book?"

Tyler smirked. "You have no idea."

"Well, Dad's got some big news. You don’t want to miss it." Ethan winked and disappeared down the hall.

'Big news.' Tyler’s stomach knotted at the thought. He knew what the announcement would likely be about. His father had been subtly pressuring him to take a more active role in the family company for months now, and tonight, no doubt, would be another reminder that it was time to "grow up" and step into his role as the next heir to Lewis Enterprises.

Lewis Enterprises was no small company. It had been in their family for three generations, starting as a modest construction business and growing into one of the region’s largest real estate and development firms. Tyler’s father, Richard Lewis, was a man of stature, both in business and in the community. He had expectations, and those expectations weighed heavily on Tyler's shoulders.

Tyler stood, pushing his chair back. He was dressed in a comfortable navy-blue sweater that brought out the deep hue of his eyes, paired with dark jeans that had seen better days but still fit him well. He had opted for sneakers, practical for the evening ahead. "Might as well get it over with."
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The dining room in the Lewis household was as grand as the rest of their home. Dark oak furniture, polished to perfection, filled the room, and large windows overlooked the well-kept garden. His mother, Margaret Lewis, was setting the table, her movements precise, almost ritualistic. She wore a floral-patterned dress that flowed gracefully around her as she bustled about, her hair tied neatly in a bun.

"Tyler, dear," she greeted with a smile as he entered. "You’ve been cooped up in that room all day. You need to take a break."

"I’m fine, Mom," Tyler replied, forcing a smile in return. He kissed her cheek before sitting down at the table.

His father was already seated at the head, sipping a glass of wine. Richard Lewis was a man in his late fifties, but the years had been kind to him. He wore a crisp white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing forearms that were muscular from years of hard work. His salt-and-pepper hair and sharp, penetrating gaze made him seem like someone not to be trifled with.