Tyler tried too late not to act surprised at the sight of his half-brothers. He hadn't seen them in a long time, at least, he hadn't seen Manuel in a long time since he almost ran their fathers company through bankruptcy. Andy, he had seen over the past few months in passing when he had given him the opportunity to gloat as long as he wanted.Tyler looked away from Manuel, whose lips were upturned in a lousy smirk that was meant to send a message. When he looked at Gabriel, the latter sent him a short nod that was unnoticed by the duo hovering over him.“Well,” Gabriel cleared his throat since he had been the one to tell them to meet up at the bar. “Have your seat, boys.” He grinned in their direction while Tyler snickered at the condescending word.Shooting Gabriel a glare, Manuel stalked over to the empty seats to occupy them while his brother did the same. They settled down together at the same space and for a few minutes, a strained silence of glares and mild cusses was their case

She grabbed her nail polish and ran it over her toe nails again and again for the umpteenth time that afternoon. It felt like ages since they came back from Joyce's wedding. Sophie had not tried going to any public event since then even though she had been invited to a ton of them.She had refused to post anything on her social media too, setting her accounts to private after so long of doing everything for the public. Her life was simple now. She didn't see herself going back to the lifestyle she once had before all of these.The Sophie she knew before would have attended tons of parties and night clubs just to be seen in the public again. But now, it didn't seem like a good idea. Especially not when everyone had a thing or two to say about her life choices in regards to what had gone wrong in her father's company.She was over it, at least she tried to be over it.Picking up her tab that was beside her with her dried finger, she checked the time and gasped dramatically. Willow had c

Sophie glanced down at the list in her hand, quickly reading off the items she had written down to purchase. She had almost crossed off the list, she only had a few more things to purchase. She glanced at Tyler as he dumped the fresh peppers he had gotten off the rack into the stroller.“What next?” he asked, glancing up at her. Sophie stared at him for the millionth time that day, watching him wipe away the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead with the sleeves of his grey T-shirt.His shirt fitted him perfectly. Sophie prided herself on choosing something so good for her man. The grey top hugged his biceps, making it look almost too tight for him but it was just right. As much as she loved the cloth on him, she hated it. She couldn't count the number of ladies that had stopped to ogle at him. Some had even taken the step to flirt with him.Which had annoyed her a great deal.“I want to get some tampons,” she listed off the list, still eyeing him closely.“That, I got you a

"Sophie,” Tyler called as he shoved his hands into the black jeans he was donning. His eyes flickered to the large clock on the wall to check the time and he sighed when he saw that they were going to be late. Very late.“Sophie, come on.” He called again before walking down to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of wine. He needed all the wine he could get for tonight. As much as he needed to survive the dinner they were going to.Alicia and Mantha had gone ahead to call the shots once more, planning a family dinner he was anything but interested in. He wasn't looking forward to it. He didn't want to go but he couldn't exactly back out. He was left with no other choice.From the inside, Sophie tended to her makeup. When Tyler had told her about the dinner Gabriel and Alicia had invited them to, she had been a bit surprised. But she was excited to meet the cheerful woman again. She wrapped her hair into a chignon after the nude makeup she did on her face. Tyler had stopped trying to c

Tyler simmered when his phone lit up with a text from Adelaide demanding that he send her the money she had requested and make arrangements for her to move in with him.He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe her audacity to think he would ever allow it. Adelaide had taken almost everything he had. She had stripped him of his honor, dignity, and heart and she thought he would allow her back in?It was appalling for him.He hadn't been shocked when she revealed the recording given to her by his half-brothers. They had been the ones to navigate her presence into his life for the first time. So,of course, he was aware that her coming back now was their doing.He wasn't blind either. Tyler had seen the bruises on her. The purple stretches and marks highlighted her skin, peeking beneath whatever she chose to wear. He had seen them all and he hadn't cared. Why should he?It just seemed to disturb him a lot how someone who wouldn't allow a blemish on her skin could go about entertaining