Chapter Twenty-Eight: Allegations
1071 Words
Third Person's POV
Lyndsay had been feeling uneasy for quite some time now because of Marcus and Tristan's presence—her past and her present.
She never imagined that a day like this would come, where she would be sitting at the same dining table with Vanessa, the woman she once hated.
Yes, hated.
Because back then, she believed Vanessa had ruined the beautiful future she could have had with Marcus.
But not anymore.
Because now, Tristan occupied her heart.
How weird.
Who would have thought she would fall in love again?
And of all people, it had to be Marcus's brother—the man who couldn't keep his word and who had once deceived her.
She never thought she would develop feelings for Tristan after that one reckless encounter between them. God, forgive her for saying it that way, but it was true. At first, it had only been a one-night stand. How was she supposed to know that Tristan would eventually search for her?
In the beginning, all she wanted was a child.
She no longer believed in true love after witnessing her mother's suffering when her own father abandoned them.
But here she was now.
There was no turning back.
She had already stepped into Tristan, Marcus, and Vanessa's world.
"Love, are you okay?" Tristan asked when he noticed how quiet she had become.
"Yeah, I'm okay, Tristan. Do you want some shrimp? I'll peel it for you," Lyndsay offered.
"Tristan is allergic to shrimp. God, you don't know that?" Vanessa interrupted in a mocking tone.
She even raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to embarrass her.
How would I know? Lyndsay thought bitterly.
She and Tristan had only been together for a short time. In fact, they had conceived a baby before they had even started dating.
Lyndsay blushed in embarrassment.
Vanessa's words had struck her pride as Tristan's wife.
Why hadn't she and Tristan talked about things like this?
She felt her ears burn as Vanessa successfully humiliated her.
"Y-you have a shrimp allergy?" Lyndsay asked.
"Yes, Love. The last time I ate shrimp, I broke out in rashes and experienced shortness of breath. I honestly thought it was the end for me," Tristan said seriously.
"And when exactly was that, Tristan?" Vanessa asked, a taunting smile playing on her lips.
Lyndsay noticed Tristan clench his fist.
Clearly, an unpleasant memory had resurfaced.
His mood seemed to darken instantly.
"When was that, brother?" Marcus asked, sounding irritated by Vanessa's obvious provocation.
Or perhaps he was simply curious about what Vanessa was trying to imply.
The sarcasm in her voice was impossible to miss.
It was as though she was deliberately pushing Tristan to his limits.
Even Loisa could sense that Vanessa was trying to create trouble.
"Vanessa..." Loisa warned softly, already noticing the tension.
What exactly was Vanessa trying to accomplish?
"Oh, it seems Tristan can't answer. Fine, then I'll tell the story myself."
Vanessa took a sip of fresh coconut juice before continuing.
"As far as I know, there was once a woman Tristan was crazy about. To prove how sincere his love was, he accepted her dare to eat three pieces of shrimp—even though he knew he was allergic."
She burst into laughter.
"See? That's how Tristan loves. He'll do anything to prove his feelings. I'm just wondering why you don't even know he's allergic. Were you trying to kill your husband?" she added dramatically.
Lyndsay felt deeply humiliated.
She wanted to defend herself but stopped.
She didn't want to ruin her mother-in-law's birthday celebration.
Besides, Vanessa was right.
She truly didn't know about Tristan's allergy.
Something a wife should have known.
Loisa frowned.
She was clearly unhappy with how things were unfolding.
"Children, the past is the past," Loisa said brightly, trying to ease the tension. "Let's just enjoy the food. There's no need to bring up old memories."
There was plenty of food in front of Lyndsay, but she suddenly lost her appetite.
Tristan reached for her hand and gently squeezed it.
She looked at him.
That simple gesture felt reassuring.
Tristan had always been like that.
Calm.
Steady.
As if silently telling her not to worry.
"It's okay, Love. You really didn't know. And I'm sure it was never your intention to hurt me," Tristan said gently.
Lyndsay nodded.
"Our love may not have started like a fairy tale. Maybe my wife still doesn't know everything about me. Maybe we haven't been together for very long. But that doesn't mean we love each other any less."
He looked directly at Vanessa.
"And one thing is certain, Vanessa. Lyndsay would never intentionally put me in danger just to prove her love. Isn't that right, Love?"
Tristan gently lifted Lyndsay's chin so their eyes met.
"O-of course, Tristan. I would never hurt you. Never."
She gave him a sweet smile.
This time, Vanessa seemed to be the one irritated.
She rolled her eyes dramatically.
Perhaps she couldn't stand seeing them being sweet with each other.
Or perhaps she was simply bitter because of the "Antonette" tattoo on Marcus's chest.
Lyndsay was certain that if Vanessa ever found out that she was Marcus's former girlfriend—and that the name tattooed on him was hers—Vanessa would probably pull her hair out in rage.
Knowing Vanessa's personality, it wasn't impossible.
After all, she was already humiliating her for no reason.
This woman wants Tristan and me to suffer because she's angry with Marcus, Lyndsay thought.
Sorry, Vanessa, but you won't succeed.
"Gosh. Whatever," Vanessa muttered with a dismissive eye-roll.
Marcus didn't even reprimand his wife for her behavior.
Then again, what had Lyndsay expected?
Still, deep inside, she couldn't stop thinking about Vanessa's story regarding the woman Tristan had once been crazy about.
A strange uneasiness settled inside her.
She had to admit it.
She was jealous.
Because she knew there had once been someone Tristan loved deeply.
Someone he had been willing to risk his life for.
After all, who would knowingly eat shrimp despite having a severe allergy?
He must have loved that woman very much.
So much that he was willing to sacrifice himself.
"Who is the woman Vanessa was talking about?" Lyndsay wondered.
It felt as though tiny needles were pricking her heart.
What was this feeling?
Was she jealous?
What if...
What if Tristan still loved that woman?
Lyndsay's chest tightened.
Then what will happen to me?
- Writer
