Richard dropped his cutlery. "Tyler…"
"Why didn't you tell me? I looked like a mess, and you were sorry for me, but you never even said a word!"
"It's not like that, Tyler…"
"Then why? Why does it have to be you, Richard? All my life, I've struggled to find my own place because of you! I never wanted to compete with you—never the organization, never anything. But why… why my woman?!"
Tears welled up in Richard's eyes. "I knew you'd already been through so much. I knew you'd feel exactly like this… that's why I…"
He broke down, sobbing. "Why was I even born?!"
"Tyler… I'm getting married soon… you…"
"Why did she sleep with you? Why you?!"
"I don't want you to see me as a rival, Tyler. We're brothers—we're not supposed to fight like this."
"I'm a loser, Richard. All my life, I just wanted a quiet life. I never wanted anything big. But this… this is too hard to accept."
"She walked away from me without looking back," Richard said softly. "But I see the way she looks at you. She loves you, Tyler. I know it."
"I'll only believe that when I see it myself," Tyler said.
"See what?"
"You scared you're not over her yet?"
"Why does it feel so hard for you to believe?"
"Sophia is too precious for anyone not to love her, Richard. That's why I can't believe you."
Richard shrugged. "Well, she may be precious to you… but she's not precious to me."
****
Richard, angry that Sophia had told Tyler everything, drove straight towards her house.
He wanted to confront her.
He almost jumped out of his skin when he saw her.
Sophia was walking along the walkway, dressed in a tracksuit and sweater.
Her brown hair danced in the darkness, and she was sobbing, wiping her face with her elbow as if her whole world had collapsed.
He wondered what could have happened.
Quietly, he followed her.
She stopped at the edge of the sea and turned to face it.
Then she screamed, pouring all her pain into the night air.
Richard got out of his car to hear her better.
"If there was anyone I trusted in this world, it was my father! But he betrayed me the most!"
She heard footsteps and looked up, her eyes widening in dread as she almost expected to see him.
They stood there, frozen, utterly speechless.
Finally, she found her voice. "What on earth are you doing here…? And how did you find me?"
He swallowed hard. "I… I came to talk about something else, but I saw you crying and…"
"What do you want?"
"Tyler… why did you tell him about us?" His voice was calm but searching, as if trying to read her eyes.
"We're in a relationship. I'm supposed to tell him everything. Or… maybe you don't know what a relationship is?"
Richard sighed. "That was too hard on him."
"I love Tyler. I would do anything for him, even if it meant telling him the bitter truth."
Richard shrugged. "Even if it doesn't matter now, I just wanted to apologize."
"For what?"
"For… not treating you well. I… I'm glad you found someone like Tyler, who treats you so well."
Sophia swallowed and stared at him without speaking.
It was then they realized Tyler had been listening the whole time. He had parked behind Richard, unseen.
Richard climbed into his car and drove away.
Sophia rushed into Tyler's arms, sobbing.
He gently cupped her face. "What happened, Sophia?"
Her tears spilled freely. "Dad… has an illegitimate son. He cheated on Mom even before I was born. I trusted him with my whole being!"
"Oh, dear…" Tyler pulled her into a warm embrace, holding her close as she cried.
****
They gathered at the front of the house to welcome him—Tyler Smith.
Hugs were exchanged, warm smiles shared, and laughter filled the air.
Melvin was busy setting the table as they led Tyler inside.
Beatrice waved to the maids. "Take his things upstairs to his room," she instructed, and they nodded, whisking Tyler's belongings away while he joined the family at the table.
Once everyone had settled, Jay Smith, the father of the household, cleared his throat and leaned forward, a mixture of pride and curiosity on his face. "Tyler, tell me… how have you been handling work as a doctor? Are things going well at the hospital?"
Tyler smiled politely before replying, his tone calm but thoughtful. "Well, Father… I've always approached medicine the same way I approach life—with focus and a sense of responsibility. Every patient is unique, so I make sure to listen carefully, understand their needs, and plan treatment with both empathy and precision. It's not just about following procedures; it's about thinking critically when unexpected situations arise. I spend extra hours researching cases, double-checking protocols, and collaborating with colleagues. It's rewarding, but it's also challenging."
Jay nodded, impressed. "That sounds… very thorough. I knew you'd take it seriously, but it's good to hear it from you."
Tyler took a slow breath before adding, surprising everyone around the table. "That said… I've been thinking a lot lately. Medicine and chemistry aren't so different in some ways—they both require understanding complex systems and predicting outcomes. I'd love to take a hybrid approach: continue my medical work but also collaborate with my brothers at the chemical organization. There's so much we could do to improve treatments, maybe even create innovative solutions that combine medicine and chemistry."
A stunned silence fell over the room. Melvin nearly dropped the serving tray in surprise.
Beatrice blinked, unable to mask her curiosity. Even Jay leaned back in his chair, his brow raised.
"That… that's ambitious," Jay finally said, a mixture of caution and intrigue in his voice. "Merging medicine with the family's chemical work… that's not something most people would even think of."
Tyler smiled faintly, meeting his father's gaze. "I want to work at the organization officially".