Chapter Twenty-Seven: Suspicions
1058 Words
Tristan's POV
We are currently at a private beach in Batangas. We left all our work behind for a while to grant Mom's request.
If you ask me, I would have preferred it if Vanessa and Marcus weren't with us on occasions like this.
In my heart, I know that I am no longer affected by the marriage of my half-brother and my ex-girlfriend—or should I say, the woman I was supposed to marry and bring to the altar.
At first, all I wanted was revenge on them for a very long time. But since I met Lyndsay, everything suddenly changed because all I want now is a complete and happy life with my wife and our future child.
I don't know what kind of magic Lyndsay has worked on me that made me fall in love in such a short period of time.
When I found out that she was carrying my child, I didn't hesitate. I immediately proposed to her.
At first, all I wanted was to give my child a good and comfortable life. But beyond that, I know for a fact that I would never want another man sharing Lyndsay's bed.
I know this sounds crazy, but just thinking about it drives me insane. Until I realized that it wasn't simply lust—it's because I love her so much.
If love at first sight truly exists, then this must be it.
I love everything about her.
Her gentle face, her personality, and even her body.
I feel incredibly lucky because now I know that she loves me too. She told me so when we were at the falls.
And every single day, she reminds me how much she loves me.
My wife is an amazing woman because she managed to love me even though she didn't know me completely.
Anyway, we still have plenty of time to get to know each other better.
However, I really don't like the way my brother looks at my wife.
I may sound suspicious, but I'm starting to lose my patience because there's something strange about the way he stares at Lyndsay.
I'm not sure, but he looks like a jealous monster whenever I hold or kiss my wife.
I actually saw him when Lyndsay and I went to the river and falls within our hacienda.
I brought Lyndsay there because I wanted some time alone with her. I didn't want to delay it any longer—I wanted to confess that I had fallen in love with her.
I was overwhelmed with emotion when I kissed her, and I wanted even more. But from the corner of my eye, I noticed someone watching us.
I wasn't mistaken.
It was Marcus himself, hiding behind a large tree.
Marcus is my brother. There's no way I could mistake him.
He followed us.
But why?
What could he possibly gain from following my wife and me?
Was he checking whether I was truly happy?
Or was he trying to convince himself that I had already moved on from the betrayal he and Vanessa inflicted on me seven years ago?
That same night, I also saw him by the mansion's pool.
Drinking alone.
Deep in thought.
Hopeless.
Was he affected by what he had seen between my wife and me?
By how intimate we were with each other?
Did he think I was too blind to notice that every time our eyes met, there was hatred in his gaze?
One time, when I came out of my room with Lyndsay, I saw him clenching his fists.
My half-brother really has a habit of wanting women who belong to someone else.
And now it seems like my wife has become his latest target.
Even when we were children, he always wanted whatever belonged to me.
I can't believe things have come to this, but this time, I will never allow him to take Lyndsay away from me.
Back then, I let him have Vanessa.
But I won't let that happen again.
I know myself well enough.
If he ever tries to pursue my wife, it will create a serious conflict between us.
There's another thing I don't understand—the strange tattoo on Marcus's chest.
I only recently paid attention to it and realized that it says "Antonette."
The design is artistic, making it difficult to read from afar. Only now did I realize that it actually says "Antonette."
My brother really is something else.
He never even bothered to remove the name of his former girlfriend before he ended up with Vanessa.
If I remember correctly, Antonette was the name of his former girlfriend.
He used to talk about her to Mom all the time.
Back then, I genuinely believed he had stepped aside for Vanessa and me because he was in love with someone else.
But in the end, he still returned to Vanessa.
It's strange.
I suddenly remembered that Antonette is actually my wife's second name because her full name is Lyndsay Antonette Silvan.
Oh God.
This is far too much of a coincidence.
Marcus never got the chance to introduce that girlfriend to our family, so I never had the opportunity to see her even once.
But from what I saw back then, I knew he was truly in love.
That's why I trusted him.
I really believed that he no longer cared about Vanessa and me.
Until one day, I was shocked to discover that everything Marcus showed us was a lie.
Whoever this woman was—the one my brother abandoned just as Vanessa betrayed me—I am certain that she went through the same pain I experienced while trying to move on.
And congratulations to both of us.
We finally managed to break free from people like Vanessa and Marcus, who treated love like a game.
What I don't understand is why Marcus never removed that tattoo if Vanessa was truly the woman he loved.
Does that mean he still loves Antonette?
What's even more unsettling is that she shares the same name as my wife.
It's impossible that Marcus is simply being reminded of his former girlfriend whenever he sees my wife.
I'm getting nervous.
I don't like where my thoughts are leading me because of the connection between my wife's name and the name of my brother's former lover.
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