Chapter 89 CHAPTER 094

Chapter 89 CHAPTER 094
Maybe I am just trying to reconcile the wild insecure, impulsive young adult that Linc has described to me with the middle aged visibly calm woman in front of me.

She looks different to me because the first time we met, she was sobbing at my feet and I was out of sorts.

"Sheryl, why are you here?" Linc asks. Straight to the point. I cringe uncomfortably beside him at his curt tone.

He doesn't even bother introducing us. I guess I should also be feeling some sort of resentment towards Sheryl, but I can't bring myself to. Tyler is the only one at fault here. He could have met with Linc and have a talk about what his mother told him.

Wait, what if that was what he came to his office to do that day and he met us having sex on his desk instead? It is possible. But it is still no excuse for the route he chose to go. He hurt me. He endangered me. He hurt my friend. It is unforgivable, what he did.

"Do you have him?" She asks, her voice is feathery, choked full with hope and infused with regret. I can't look at her face.

"No." Linc's curtness doesn't relent.

Sheryl looks at me with watery grey eyes and I really can't take it. I shift uncomfortably on the couch.

"Okay but would you please tell me when you do? Please. Linc." She asks him, voice small and hopeful. The more time I spend with her, the more I understand what Linc meant when he said she was pathetic. It wasn't an insult.

Sheryl has a pitiable air about her fragile middle aged beauty. I can't describe it and I don't know if this was how she always presented herself, but she looks like she has a deep sadness eating her away.

I guess I can understand it considering that Tyler is her son. And there is irreconcilable conflict between them. It traces back to the fact that he doesn't have a father and she apparently has refused to tell him about the man that impregnated her. Out of shame or spite. I can't tell.

"I can't promise you anything. Your son is wanted for kidnapping and aggravated assault. Those are grave crimes and you have nobody to blame because you drove him to it." Linc's tone is hard as nails. Sheryl winces and shrinks back in the couch, I notice how small her frame is.

Maybe asking Linc to revisit their history to satisfy my curiosity was not the best move. He is pissed off. He can't be bothered with niceties now. He can't even see how tortured the poor woman in front of us is. She looks both physically and emotionally withered. I feel a tall wave of sympathy for her.

I squeeze Linc's hand, he whips his head at me like he forgot I was beside him all along, his hard eyes lose some of their edge as he gazes into my eyes.

I try to communicate my reservations about his harshness on Sheryl with my eyes, to tell him to ease up a bit, I know she is watching us, I wonder if she finds our body language weird, for all she knows, we are just stepfather and stepdaughter.

Linc looks away. He doesn't want to hear it.

"Okay. But I think I still have a right to know when you apprehend him. You have kept things suspiciously under wraps so far. No police or official personnel involved. What do you plan to do to him, Linc?" Sheryl's hardened voice catches me entirely by surprise. I have to look at her to make sure it is the same frail woman talking.

Linc gives me a quick meaningful look that says a lot. I have to remember that he knows her more than I ever could.

"Oh, okay, let me get this straight, you want him in jail? You want your precious son handed over to the police or even better, FBI?" He asks her, leaning forward, eyes narrowed.

"Anything will be better than dead." She snaps, eyes shining with deep resentment and some residual genuine fear. And hurt.

I am so shocked, I let go of Linc's hand. He doesn't even notice, he is so engrossed with glaring at Sheryl.

What is this? What does she know about Linc that would make her believe he could kill Tyler?

Is that what he was going to do? Kill Tyler?

I know Linc is pissed about the situation and would like to inflict some kind of vengeful pain on Tyler for what he did to me and Ashley. But to kill him?

That doesn't seem like him at all. My feet goes cold at the silence between them. Linc is not saying anything. Not denying or accepting her fear.

Sheryl is glaring at him like an angry mother hen protecting her chicks from a murderous eagle. The air is charged between them. Two decades later, they have to confront the offshoots of their toxic young love. It is almost poetic if the very air didn't thrum with promise of violence and terrible hurt. The potential of it. They could hurt eachother so badly. They already have before. And now they are repeating history. I feel like a dumb bystander in this mess. I want out. But of course, I can't. I am already in too deep.

"Too bad. I was going to do you a favour." Linc leans back in the chair with a dark smirk on his impossibly calm face.

I look at him, he knows I am watching him but he doesn't look at me, he keeps his gaze riveted on Sheryl who is bristling in place.

A cold shiver runs down my spine.