Chapter 350
“He had another appointment,“Brandon replied, not even attempting to hide the lie.
James started the car, and we pulled away from the curb. The silence between us was deafening.
“There’s a new restaurant in Tribeca I thought we might try,” Brando said after a few minutes.
I didn’t respond.
“Or there’s that new movie everyone’s talking about.”
Still nothing.
“We could drive up to see your grandfather this weekend.”
“Can you please be quiet?” I finally snapped, turning to glare at him.
Brandon’s jaw tightened, and he pressed a button. The privacy screen between us and James silently rose.
The moment we were isolated, Brandon shifted closer. “Summer, I’ve respected your need for space, but this has gone on long
enough. This cold treatment… I won’t accept it anymore.”
I turned to face him fully. “Does it feel bad, Brandon? Being shut out? Being left in the dark?” My voice was low but intense.
“Because that’s how I felt when I found out you’ve been hiding things from me.”
Brandon’s expression softened slightly. “It feels terrible,” he admitted
“That’s how I felt too,” I whispered. “That day, when Lyanna showed up with Timothy… I’ve never felt pain like that before. Not even when I caught Alexander with Victoria.”
“Summer,” Brandon said softly, “I’m with you. I’ve never wanted to be with anyone else. Have you?”
I met his eyes. “No. Never. Not since the moment we got together.”
“Then tell me what I need to do to fix this.”
I took a deep breath. “Tell me about Lyanna. Tell me the truth about your relationship with her. Tell me about Timothy.”
Brandon’s expression darkened. “It’s a relationship built on manipulation and exploitation–from both sides,” he said bluntly. “I never loved her. I was never engaged to her.”
“Then why-
“Lyanna saved my life once,” he interrupted. “Three years ago, she saved my life. I promised I’d repay her.”
I gasped softly.
“After that, she disappeared. She’d been kidnapped from Stark property and was missing for a month. When we found her, she’d been raped. I helped keep in quiet.”
“Oh my God,” I whispered.
“My father wanted me to marry her. I agreed to an engagement, but before it could be announced, she ran away with someone. She
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Chapter 350
was already pregnant when she left.”
“And Timothy?:
“Timothy is her son from that pregnancy, Brandon confirmed. “He’s not mine, Summer. Timothy and my grandfather had DNA tests done. He’s a Stark, but he’s not my child.”
I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. “Then whose…?”
Brandon’s expression was grim. “That’s the question. There are only few possibilities, and none of them are good.”
I sat back, absorbing all this. “So Lyanna came back because…?”
cape…
“I don’t think it has anything to do with love. It’s about Timothy’s father and my grandfather’s wishes. William Stark has always had a soft spot for Lyanna.”
“And she’s trying to break us up because your grandfather wants her for you instead of me,” I concluded.
Brandon nodded. “I’ve been tolerating her partly because of what she did for me, but mostly because I need to find out who Timothy’s father really ist
I slowly reached out, placing my palm over his. “I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain.”
Brandon immediately turned his hand to grasp mine. “I should have told you everything from the beginning. I was afraid it might drive you away.”
“Nothing could drive me away,” I said softly. “Not unless you wanted me gone.”
“Never,” he whispered. “I’ll never want you gone.”
“Let’s go home,” Brandon said suddenly.
Home. The word struck me with unexpected force. Despite everything The Hamptons had become home–because Brandon was
there.
I squeezed his hand and nodded. “Yes,” I said softly. “Let’s go home.
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