Chapter 154

Tyler turned, and the instant his eyes met Sebastian’s, his body tensed. Something about Sebastian made breathing difficult; he radiated danger merely by standing there. Sebastian’s voice, low and sharp, cut through the air. “Were you threatening her?”

Tyler swallowed, glancing between Sebastian and Stephanie. Stephanie, arms crossed, echoed, “Yeah, were you threatening me?” Their identical tones struck him. He realized then how little he knew Stephanie. The already oppressive room felt suffocating, the air depleted. Who was this man? He clenched his fists, fighting a tremor. “I…”

Any excuse died unspoken as Sebastian advanced, effortlessly closing the distance. He pulled Stephanie to his side, his hand protectively at her waist. “What did he say he was to you?”

Stephanie shrugged. “He said he’s my brother.”

The room grew colder, the temperature plummeting despite the blasting heat. A chill crawled down Tyler’s spine. Why had Sebastian’s demeanor shifted so drastically at the word “brother”?

Sebastian’s eyes narrowed, his tone deceptively casual. “So… you really want to be her brother?”

Tyler froze. Technically, he had been—or at least, he had been. But not anymore. Stephanie had made that abundantly clear. The disownment papers were signed. She was no longer part of the family. Whether she thrived or struggled was her concern, not his.

He let out a mocking laugh. “Trust me, no thanks. I’m good.”

He stormed out, fuming. Fine. She wanted to cut ties? Great. Let’s see how long she lasted without the family name to hide behind.

He stomped into the elevator, still furious, but by the time the doors closed, he realized his back was soaked with sweat.

Chapter 154 (Continued)

That man was terrifying. That had to be the guy who took out Chris, right? The one Stephanie had been relying on. Compared to him, even Dr. Vitale and the man from the hospital hallway seemed insignificant. Who the hell was this guy? And what had Stephanie done to secure such an ally? The more Tyler considered it, the angrier he became.

The moment he exited the elevator, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and answered. “What?”

“Tyler, are you marrying someone else?”

The shrill, panicked voice was a woman’s. Tyler’s stomach clenched. She knew.

Before he could respond, she screamed again, “You lied to me! You swore you’d take care of us! You promised our son wouldn’t grow up as some dirty little secret! Did you even tell your family about us?!”

Tyler stood speechless, bombarded by accusations. His head pounded. He had told his family, but no one had wanted her. He rubbed his temples. “Are you home? I’ll come over right now.”

“Good. You better have a damn good explanation.”

The call ended abruptly. Tyler stood by his car, gripping his phone until his knuckles whitened. Before he could open the door, his mother called. “Tyler, what are we going to do?” Catlin’s voice trembled with fear and frustration.