Fated to Wed (English)

Chapter Eighteen

The tension between Theo and me had been unbearable ever since our argument. He hated that I was now glued to him, monitoring his every move, but he couldn’t do anything about it—not after the blackmail. I could see the frustration in his eyes every time I insisted on coming along to meetings or staying by his side during events. And yet, I couldn’t stop myself. I couldn’t trust him, not with Liana back in the picture.

So when Theo told me they were heading to a private resort to shoot photos of Liana with their new product line, I didn’t even give him a choice. I packed our bags, grabbed Tyrone, and told him we were coming along. Theo gritted his teeth but said nothing, his silence laced with the anger he was barely keeping under control.

The resort was beautiful, with sparkling blue pools and lush greenery everywhere. But I couldn’t enjoy any of it. My mind was consumed with one thought: Liana. She was there, of course, looking every bit the supermodel she’d become—beautiful, confident, and always too close to Theo. Every time I saw them together, my stomach twisted with anxiety, and I felt that familiar fear gnawing at me.

One evening, after a long day of meetings, Theo had another session with his team. Tyrone couldn’t sleep, so I decided to take him for a walk by the pool. The night was quiet, the soft glow of the pool lights reflecting off the water, creating a calming atmosphere. Tyrone toddled around, pointing at the shimmering lights, his laughter easing some of the tension in my chest.

But then, I heard her voice.

"He's cute. Looks just like Theo."

I turned and saw Liana standing there, her arms crossed, eyes cool as she looked at Tyrone and me. My heart raced, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Well, yeah," I replied, feigning nonchalance. "Theo and I had a lot of fun making him."

Liana’s expression darkened, and she took a step closer, her eyes narrowing. "You’re such a snake, Delilah. Pretending to be Theo’s friend all those years, when really you were just waiting for your moment to swoop in and steal him."

I clenched my fists, my body tensing. "That’s not true," I said, my voice shaking with anger. "Theo made his choice, and we built this family together."

"Whatever." Liana waved her hand dismissively. "I don’t care about the past. What matters now is that I can get him back, and we both know it." She looked down at Tyrone, a cold smirk on her lips. "Besides, I’m more than happy to be a mother to your son. He deserves better than a paranoid mess like you."

That was it. That was the moment I snapped.

My hand flew before I could stop myself, and the sound of the slap echoed in the night air. Liana’s head whipped to the side, her hair falling across her face. For a second, she stood there, stunned. Then she turned back to me, eyes blazing with fury, and slapped me right back.

"You're out of your mind!" she spat, stepping forward as if ready for a full-on fight.

We grabbed at each other, nails digging into skin, shoving and pulling, the tension of months finally exploding. I didn’t care anymore. I had to protect my family—protect Tyrone—from her.

But in the chaos, we didn’t notice that Tyrone had wandered off.

It wasn’t until I heard someone shouting that I turned around and saw him.

"Tyrone!" a voice screamed. "He’s running towards the pool!"

My heart stopped.

I whipped around, my eyes wide with horror as I saw Tyrone toddling towards the deep end of the pool—the part that was seven feet deep. Panic surged through me, and I shoved Liana away, screaming for Tyrone to stop.

But it was too late.

With a tiny splash, Tyrone fell into the pool, disappearing beneath the water.

"No!" I shrieked, my legs moving before I could think. I ran, my breath caught in my throat as I reached the edge of the pool. Without hesitation, I jumped in, the cold water engulfing me as I frantically searched for him.

"Tyrone!" I screamed, my hands flailing in the water, trying to find him. Everything was a blur. My mind couldn’t focus. All I could think about was finding my son.

Then, I saw him. His tiny body floating unconscious beneath the surface.

I grabbed him, pulling him to me, kicking my legs as hard as I could to get us back to the surface. "Help!" I screamed, my voice hoarse and desperate. "Somebody help!"

I could barely see through the tears in my eyes, but suddenly, strong hands were pulling Tyrone out of my arms. It was Theo. He was there, lifting our son from the water, his face a mixture of terror and determination.

"Tyrone, please!" I sobbed, crawling out of the pool, my body trembling from the cold and the shock.

Theo immediately began performing CPR, his hands pressing down on Tyrone’s small chest. "Come on, buddy," Theo muttered, his voice cracking with emotion. "Please... breathe."

Time felt like it had stopped. I was shaking, soaking wet, clutching my arms as I watched helplessly. My entire world was hanging by a thread, and all I could do was pray.

After what felt like an eternity, Tyrone coughed, water sputtering from his mouth. He gasped for air, his little body jerking as he began to cry.

I collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably, as relief washed over me. Theo scooped Tyrone into his arms, holding him tightly, his face buried in his son’s wet hair. "Thank God," he whispered, his voice raw with emotion.

I crawled over to them, wrapping my arms around both of them, my heart pounding in my chest. "I’m so sorry," I whispered, my voice shaking. "I’m so, so sorry."

Theo looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger, fear, and something else I couldn’t quite place. "Delilah, what the hell happened?" His voice was sharp, but underneath, I could hear the desperation.

"Liana..." I muttered, my head spinning from the rush of emotions. "She... she said she could take you away. She wanted to be Tyrone’s mother. I lost it. I—"

Theo’s expression hardened as his gaze shifted to Liana, who was standing a few feet away, her face pale. "Get out of here," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Now."

Liana hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering between Theo, Tyrone, and me, before she turned and walked away without another word.

I looked back at Theo, guilt weighing heavily on my chest. "I should’ve been watching him," I whispered. "I’m sorry. I’m so sorry."

Theo didn’t say anything for a long moment, just holding Tyrone tightly. Finally, he looked at me, his face unreadable. "We need to talk. But not now." He stood up, carrying Tyrone towards the villa, leaving me standing there, soaked and shaking, feeling the weight of everything I had done crash down around me.