Wheel You Marry Me?

CHAPTER 29.

"What? What does he mean by his own blood?" My heart skipped a beat. My breath caught in my throat as my mind raced to catch up with what I had just heard. Is Jeffrey... Tyler's son?

Jeffrey's voice trembled as he asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Tyler responded calmly but with unmistakable weight in his tone. "I mean I can't let my son rot in jail."

The silence that followed was deafening. I felt like the floor beneath me was slipping.

Jeffrey's voice was barely audible, "What do you mean by son?"

There was a long pause before Tyler finally said, "Didn't Scarlet tell you about it?"

Another silence. I held my breath. No way. No way this could be happening.

"You're my son, Jeffrey," Tyler said with a sigh, like he had been carrying that truth for a lifetime. That was it. I couldn't stay still. My legs moved before my brain could catch up, and I rushed downstairs.

Ryan looked up the moment I entered. "Babe, is everything alright?"

I forced a smile. "Yeah. Everything is alright." I lied. My chest felt tight, my hands clammy. I could see the concern in Ryan's eyes. He didn't believe me not for a second but he didn't push.

"Mildred has prepared breakfast. Let's go have some," he said gently, guiding me to the dining room.

But all I could think about was the bombshell I had just heard. My mother and Tyler? That's what Eleanor meant when she accused Mom of stealing her husband? This was madness. How many secrets were buried under that mansion?

Ryan pulled me back to the present. "Baby, you haven't touched anything yet."

I blinked and realized my plate was untouched. I picked up my glass and took a sip of the orange juice, just to seem okay. I forced myself to take a few bites.

Tyler, Jeffrey, and Eleanor soon joined us at the table.

"Good morning, Aurora," Tyler greeted warmly.

"Good morning to you too," I replied with a polite smile, though my stomach churned.

"I hope you slept well," he added, as if last night hadn't been one of the most traumatic nights of my life. I just nodded.

Tyler busied himself with pancakes and bacon, pouring juice for Jeffrey like it was just another Sunday morning. But Jeffrey... he sat there like a statue, his eyes locked on his plate, silent, pale, overwhelmed.

"It's quite surprising how you woke up with that mood this morning," Eleanor said, cutting through the air with her cold voice. "Is it because you finally revealed the secret you kept for 20 years?"

Tyler didn't respond. He just kept eating like her words meant nothing.

"Mum, what are you talking about?" Ryan asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"Oh..." Eleanor sipped her coffee with flair. "He never told you he had a son with Scarlet?"

Ryan looked stunned. "Dad... is that true?"

Tyler cleared his throat. "Yes. It's true. After we adopted you, I wanted another child, but... it was difficult. I met Scarlet. We had Jeffrey. Your mother and I nearly divorced over it. Then she got pregnant with Barbara."

"Don't you ever talk about Barbara again!" Eleanor snapped. Her voice cracked, loud and sharp.

"Why, Mum?" Ryan shot back, frustration rising. "Because she has Down syndrome?"

Eleanor's face twisted in fury. "I knew this was a bad idea—sitting here with you two! I knew it!" She threw her napkin onto the table and stormed out, slamming the breakfast room door behind her.

The silence she left behind felt heavy and suffocating.

"Mr. Tyler... I think we'll be leaving now," I said quickly as we stood up.

Tyler nodded. "I'm sorry about Eleanor. She can be dramatic. And... I'm sorry for what happened last night. Let's keep it between us, alright? We told Theodore's family he died in a car accident. Everything's taken care of."

He insisted we take his driver home. I couldn't argue. I just wanted to be far from that house.

When we got back, everyone disappeared into their rooms. I was drained—mentally, emotionally, physically. I filled the tub with hot water and sank into a bubble bath, letting the warmth try to wash away everything. Then I passed out into a nap that felt like escaping reality.

But reality came back with a phone call. I groaned and reached for my phone.

It was Skylar.

"Hey sweetie," I answered, still groggy.

"Hey pretty! You sound half-dead. Everything okay?" she asked.

"No. I'm just... tired."

"Girl, I'm coming to get you. We're going out," she said and hung up before I could protest.

Twenty minutes later, she was at my door, arms crossed. "I can't believe you're still in those clothes. Go change—now!"

I laughed softly for the first time in days. We went to my room, and I changed into a yellow jumpsuit and white stilettos. Just a touch of lip gloss and mascara. "Done. Let's go."

She took me to a new bistro that served French cuisine. It was cozy and chic. We ordered and sat down.

"So," she asked, "What's been eating you up? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I sighed deeply. "A lot has happened, Sky. I don't even know where to start."

"Anywhere. Just start."

I looked at her, my eyes wide with the weight of what I was about to say. "I saw the guy who tried to kill you."

Her fork froze mid-air. "You... what? Who was it?"

Our food arrived. We waited until the waiter left.

"It was Theodore," I said quietly.

She stared at me, stunned. "Oh my God. Are you sure?"

"Positive. I saw him. He had a gun. He was going to kill me... Jeffrey shot him first."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I can't believe it... he looked so innocent. He acted like our friend. Took us out. Pretended to care. All that was fake?"

I held her hand across the table while she cried. "I know. I can't believe it either."

After a moment of silence, I added, "And there's more. Jeffrey... is Tyler's son."

Skylar's eyes widened. "What?!"

"Yeah. That's why Eleanor hates my mum. She thinks she stole her husband."

"Wow. And all this happened in the last two days? Girl, what kind of movie are you living in?"

I chuckled bitterly. "Tell me about it."

When I got home, I decided to check on Jeffrey. His door was open. I peeked in.

He was packing.

"Hey," I said cautiously, "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yes," he replied, zipping up his bag. "I'm going far away. I don't want to be a part of Tyler's drama. I'm not a Tyler, and I'll never be one."

"Jeffrey..." I stepped in. "You're not alone in this."

He turned around, eyes red-rimmed. "Aurora, everything I knew about my life was a lie. I feel like a stranger in my own skin. Tyler... my father? How do I even process that?"

I walked up to him. "You don't have to figure it all out today. But running away won't change the truth."

Tears welled up in his eyes. "I don't know who I am anymore."

I hugged him tightly. "You're my brother. That's who you are. And nothing will ever change that."

He buried his face in my shoulder. "Promise me you won't leave me alone in this."

"I promise."