The door swung open and my gaze fell upon the familiar figure of Lilian, our househelp.
"Good evening, Mrs. Wills," she greeted me, a polite smile on her lips.
A thin wavw of relief coursed through me as it turned out to be Lilian, our househelp, and not Tyler.
To be honest, I didn't think I had gathered the courage to break the news yet.
"Mrs. Wills," Lilian broke the short silence, her voice warm and gentle. "Mr. Wills said he wants to see you in his study when you get back," she said.
I started to panic. My heart was beating very fast, like an animal that was trapped.
See me in his study? Why?
Was he finally willing to talk, to reconcile? He never calls to talk to me privately. Well, he hasn't done that in two years.
I nodded to Lilian, my throat tight, my heart beating so hard I felt like it was visible through my chest. "Thanks for the message," I managed to let out.
My mind was spinning, and I tried to steady myself, to remember that this moment had to come.
"I should head to the study, I guess," I said, in an attempt to seem normal, but my voice was unsteady, betraying my inner confusion.
"Is everything all right, Mrs. Wills?" Lilian asked, her brows furrowed with anxiety.
Lilian's question hung in the air as I faked a smile that seemed weak, and shook my head. "I'm not sure, to be honest. But thanks for asking."
"If you need anything, Mrs. Wills, I'm here," she said. Her words were honest and kind. "I will be in the kitchen if you need me."
I pushed my feet to carry me to Tyler's study. My legs felt like they were very heavy, and my palms were shaking a lot.
I raised my fist and knocked on the door as I got ready for what was going to happen next.
"Come in," Tyler said. His voice was very cold, and it made me feel somehow.
The door flung open, and there he was, Tyler Wills.
He stood tall with broad shoulders and a lean, athletic build. His chiseled jawline and high cheekbones gave him a striking, handsome appearance.
His piercing blue eyes were framed by thick lashes, and his dark, tousled hair added to his allure. His skin had a warm, sun-kissed glow, and a well-groomed stubble gave him a rugged edge.
Dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans, he still exuded confidence and authority. His slight smirk, paired with his deep voice, made him the kind of man who naturally turned heads and left a lasting impression.
As I opened my mouth to say hi, Tyler cut me off with holding out his PC holding a cold, firm gaze at me.
I felt the test result, still gripped in my hand, begin to collapse as my hold tightened.
"Explain this," his said, still holding the PC, his voice calm but distant, as if he were already done with me.
Confused, I accepted the PC from him with shaky hands.
My heart hammered, my eyes scarcely daring to look at the screen as I flipped the PC to face me.
And there it was, like a punch to the belly, an image of me and Owen, my colleague from the Art Gallery where I work.
"No," I gasped, my head racing and my eyes darting from the PC to Tyler's face. “I-I don't understand Tyler.. what's this for?” I stammered.
I could feel Tyler's hard glare digging into me, his mouth set in a straight line.
"Explain," he said again, his voice low and even.
"Tyler, I promise it isn't what it seems like. This was just a few days ago," I muttered, the words pouring out in a hurry. "I ran into Owen at a bar," I said, desperation creeping into my voice as I tried to explain. "He kinda sensed I wasn't okay, so he asked me what was wrong. He's a coworker from the art gallery, so I confided in him. It was just an innocent, friendly hug.. nothing more!"
Tyler's face remained impassive, his eyes unmoving as they fixed them on me.
"And you expect me to believe that?" he finally broke the silence that had taken over, his tone twisted with irritation.
"It's the truth, I swear," I said, my throat dry.
Tyler laughed. It was a bitter laughter. It sounded mean and sarcastic, like a knife in the air.
"I should've known better," he said. His eyes showed anger. "I have always known you are a harlot since the day we met," he said, his gaze still fixed on me.
My face burned as I tried to explain myself, but no words came out.
How could he? Harlot? Me? This bastard took my virginity!
Tyler's gaze didn't move as he added, "You always had that desperate look in your eyes, like you were just waiting for any excuse to throw yourself at another man. I guess I should have expected this from someone like you.”
My eyes widened in shock. "How dare you say that!" I couldn't keep the pain out of my voice, anger surging through me. "You have no right to judge me, Tyler. You call me a harlot when you were the one who took my viginity??." My hands clenched into fists, shaking with rage. "I can't believe you'd stoop so low." I swallowed hard, fighting back tears. "After everything, you still think so little of me? You, who said you loved me?!”
I shook with anger, my hands clinched at my sides as I peered into Tyler's hard, unfeeling eyes.. I won't back down, I still had more to spill.
"You don't deserve to treat me like dirt after all we've been through. You don't get to transform me into a monster simply to make yourself feel better about whatever it is you're hiding," I growled, my voice quivering with furious pain.
Tyler's icy silence only increased my anger. He stood there like a statue, his hard glare appearing to bore through me, as if he were trying to drain away every ounce of dignity I had left.
"Why, Tyler?!" I yelled out, my voice trembling but forceful. "Why won't you listen to me? Why did you agree to marry me if you weren't ready to get married?"
Tyler's lips twisted into a sneer, a nasty glitter in his eye. "Listen to you? Listen to what? Your lame excuses? Your lies?"
I took a step forward, rebellion in my stance as I proceeded. "What did I do wrong, Tyler? Was it a crime to fall in love with you? To devote myself to this marriage? To trust you? Just what happened Tyler, please tell me!”
Tyler's eyes narrowed, his attitude darkening even deeper. "What happened, Samantha, is that I recognized you for what you truly are.. a deceptive, manipulative woman. A lady who will manipulate anybody and everything to achieve what she wants."
His comments were like slaps, every one hitting me harder than the last.
I could feel the tears burning in my eyes now, ready to spill over and betray me, but no, I wouldn't back down.
“Really?” I asked, a bitter smile escaped my lips.