Chapter 1087
Andrew took a deep breath, doing his best to stay calm as he asked, “So, you’re telling me Mr. Rhodes knows about you and my dad?”
Tiana huffed. “I’ve never been the type to tiptoe around my past, especially not when it comes to love. I told Jameson everything before he married me–everything. In fact, he even knows I slept with Reginald. And get this–back in the day, your dad and Jameson were actually close friends!”
Andrew thought this was pure chaos. He rubbed his temples, feeling a pounding ache behind his eyes. His head throbbed–really throbbed.
“Please don’t tell me…” Andrew said slowly, dread creeping into his voice, “…that Lauren isn’t actually Mr. Rhodes’ daughter, but my dad’s?”
The second the words left his mouth, Tiana spat to the side and snapped, “You little punk, what the hell is wrong with you? I may be crazy, but do you really think I’d let Jameson raise another man’s kid and not tell him?
“Relax. I know what you’re thinking. You’re worried Lauren might turn out to be your half-sister and boom–no more romance, right? Well, don’t worry. Lauren has nothing to do with Reginald. She’s mine and Jameson’s.”
Andrew let out a long sigh of relief. “Thank God. It’s still a mess, but at least it’s not that level of disaster.”
Tiana gave a long, bitter sigh of her own. “Life really plays cruel jokes, huh? I fell for Reginald so hard back then. And now, all these years later, Lauren’s fallen for you. It’s like the universe is punishing me all over again.”
Seeing the heaviness in her smile, Andrew straightened up. “Mrs. Rhodes, I’m not my dad. I’m serious about Lauren. I mean it.”
Tiana shook her head gently. “Don’t be so quick to promise things, kid. Reginald was the same way–brilliant, magnetic… utterly unforgettable. As the Dragon Prince, he was worshipped across the world. Women threw themselves at him without shame. Of course, he ended up with countless lovers, wives, soulmates, and god knows what else.”
Andrew swore, “I’m not him. He’s his own mess–I’m my own man.”
Sure, he had inherited a few of Reginald’s more impressive traits, like the ability to lie through his teeth while sounding completely sincere.
As the front steps of the Rhodes residence came into view, Tiana suddenly buried her face in her hands and muttered, “About earlier, when I hugged you… just forget it happened, alright?
“I wasn’t thinking clearly. I saw the totem on your chest and… I thought of him. I mistook you for Reginald at that moment. That’s all.”
Andrew nodded quickly. “Got it. Totally understand.”
Tiana’s cheeks flushed again, and she mumbled under her breath, “Honestly, you’ve got a damn fine figure, kid. Just as good as he was back then…”
Andrew grinned. “Well, technically speaking, that makes me your junior. So if you ever feel the need to reach out–hey, as your future son-in-law, I won’t say no!”
“Get lost!” Tiana yelled, scandalized. “You little brat, I swear, you so much as think another indecent thought, and I’ll rip your face off, got it?”
Andrew wisely shut his mouth, wondering what Tiana was even imagining. All he wanted was to make peace and offer a little comfort for the heartbreak Reginald left behind.
Yet somehow, she had twisted that into something so wildly inappropriate he could not even wrap his head around it.