Chapter 17

Sometimes fate really just sneaks up on you

Megan was still wondering when exactly she'd found her way into Tristan's heart, when his fiery kiss totally messed with her train of thought.

Then came the sudden buzz of a phone, shattering the sweet moment.

With a frown, Tristan pulled his phone out-Kevin Ward was calling.

Holding the phone at arm's length, he answered.

"Tristan! Drinks tonight at Prestige! Kai's back in town!"

Tristan didn't even hesitate. "Not going."

And with that, he hung up.

But Kevin clearly wasn't done. The screen kept lighting up like the guy didn't get the hint. Tristan was about to block him.

"Just go, your friend's back. It's fine," Megan said with a light chuckle.

Tristan held her hands between his. "Then come with me. I want you to meet them properly."

Megan nodded sweetly.

Just then, more buzzing. Tristan's brows furrowed when he saw the caller ID-Old House.

He picked it up.

"Tristan, heard you got registered this morning. Come over for dinner tonight," said Nathan's voice.

Before Tristan could speak, the other side rushed to add, "Your grandpa's looking forward to meeting your wife."

Tristan's face darkened. Playing the grandpa card?

Geoffrey was the only one in that whole family who'd ever genuinely cared about him.

With clear annoyance,he replied,"Got it."

After hanging up, he looked at Megan. "So word spread fast. Looks like we're headed to the old house.We'll say hi to Grandpa, then bounce."

Megan narrowed her fox-like eyes. This had Molly and Wyatt written all over it. No way this news traveled that fast on its own.

She gave a little smirk. "It's alright. If your grandpa's good to you, we should go see him."

They left the beach and got on the road to the Reid family estate.

In the car, Tristan seemed to want to say something but hesitated. Finally,he spoke.

"Megan, I am not actually the legitimate heir of the Reid family."

He glanced her way, trying to feel out her reaction Her eyes were calm, no trace of judgment.

Encouraged, he went on, "My mom, Hannah,married my dad on paper, but because she came from nothing my grandma never accepted her. They ended up getting divorced. Mom left the Capitol City and went to a rural town to teach. That's when she found out she was pregnant."

Tristan choked up, his eyes seemed slightly moist, and he continued, "She had me anyway. We didn't have much, but we were happy. Then, when I was eight, she got lung cancer. She sent me back to the Reids and quietly passed away alone. She didn't take any help from my father. Three months later, she was gone.The funeral was just me and him."

Tristan's voice softened, tinged with anger. "I hated him for a long time. Felt like he never truly loved her.That he cared more about the family name than about her.After that,he married into the Carter family."

He clenched his hands tightly, then looked at Megan said slowly, "So... things between me and him were never great."

Megan reached over, squeezing his right hand.

"Everyone's got an inner scale. Balancing love,friendship, family-and gain. Not everyone gets it right.Some people lean more into feelings, sacrificing benefits, but gaining warmth. Others chase advantage,and end up emotionally empty. Life doesn't favor anyone. Who knows, maybe your dad hasn't had it easy either."

Megan noticed a hint of contempt and anger in Tristan's eyes, so she gently stroked his hand and comforted him, "I'm not saying you're supposed to forgive him. Or feel better because he might be miserable. I just want you to let go of that bitterness,even just a little. So you can be happy, too."

She gently stroked Tristan's face, her heart full of love "You've got me. I'm not going anywhere."

"You're not gonna look down on me for where I come from, are you?"he asked.

This man, this business tycoon who dominated boardrooms, was suddenly so unsure-like a kid afraid of being left behind. He was that scared of losing her.Megan let out a soft sigh and leaned her cheek against Tristan's arm.

"From now on, no matter if you're rich or broke,healthy or not, I won't leave you. Silly, I love you,l Love for who you are-not for what you have."

The moment Tristan heard her say that last part, he froze for a second. She just said she loved him.

He quickly switched lanes and pulled over on the side of the road.

Grabbing her by the shoulders, he asked, "Megan,say that again."

She pinched his handsome cheek and smiled. "Tristan,I love you. Maybe it feels sudden to you, but for me.l just don't want to miss out on you anymore. I'm in this with you,for life."

He pulled her into his arms, holding her like she was the only light breaking through the storm in his world.She was his saving grace. And he? He was hers too.

Reid family estate.

A sleek black Maybach rolled to a stop in front of a three-meter-high iron gate with intricate designs.After the license plate was scanned, the gate opened automatically.

They drove past a path flanked by manicured lawns and circled a fountain before stopping in front of a European-style mansion.

Tristan got out first and opened the car door for Megan,helping her out gently.Fingers interlocked,the two walked toward the main house.

Suddenly, Tristan's brows knitted together as he yanked her into his arms.

A fast-flying golf ball zipped past Megan's head,slamming into the gate behind them with a loud "bang."

If it had hit just a second later, it would've nailed the back of her head.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Megan said, shaking her head

The two followed the path of the golf ball and locked eyes with a tall, sharp-featured man walking toward them with a club in hand.

His eyes had a hint of cold cruelty, and his sharp nose gave him a calculating, almost sinister look.

"Well, big bro's back," he mocked. "And look who we have here-the runaway fiancée herself!"

Wyatt. Tristan's half-brother. The same bastard who,in a poast life, helped Molly take Megan's life.

Tristan's gaze turned icy cold. He let go of Megan and strode straight toward Wyatt.

"Why so mad, Tris-" 八、

Before he could finish, Tristan had him by the neck,lifting him off the ground.

Wyatt raised the club, trying to strike Tristan, but his arm was pinned midair the next second.

Tristan's grip tightened.

Wyatt's face turned crimson, eyes bulging, blood vessels popping.

Between gritted teeth, Tristan growled, "Try that again,and I swear I'll end you."

Then he flung Wyatt down onto the lawn and slammed the golf club across his body.

Once. Twice.

From where she stood, Megan watched coldly, like she'd been thrown back into her past life-Wyatt plunging that icy blade into her chest.

Her stare was blank, emotionless. When Wyatt finally coughed up blood, and the club was just an inch away from smashing his skull, Tristan stopped, hovering the club midair.

"Got it?" Tristan's voice was like frost.

Wyatt coughed hard,wiped the blood from his mouth,and stammered, "Y-yeah, I got it."

Megan walked over and stood beside Tristan,looking down on Wyatt like he was nothing more than filth.

With a smirk, she said, "Babe, the place is impressive,but the staff really need some training. You'd think someone would've taken out the trash by now. The stench here really calls for a little air freshener."

Tristan wrapped an arm around her waist and led her toward the mansion."Yeah, a full retraining is in order."

Behind them, Wyatt glared at their backs with fury,punching the ground as rage burned through him.

Tristan always had the upper hand-but one day,he'd make him pay. And since he cared so much about that woman,she'd be the first to fall.