Chapter 6: His Half-brother

"It was a long time ago," Zayn began, running a hand through his hair, an anxious gesture that betrayed the weight of his words. "You broke my heart, and I was furious with you..." He took a deep breath, his eyes filled with regret. "...I wanted you to feel the same pain I felt. I’m sorry," he concluded, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lia, struggling to keep her composure, shot back, "And then you came back acting like you care? Forgetting to mention you had hands in humiliating me."

"I do care, please, Lia," Zayn pleaded, desperation showing in his tone. "I was really angry at the time. I know it doesn’t justify what I did, but you have to listen to me..."

"No, you listen to me," Lia interrupted fiercely, her eyes flashing with pain and betrayal. "Don’t ever come close to me again. If you so much as breathe my name, I will make you regret it."

"So touching…" Harper chimed in, her voice dripping with mockery. "But I’m not done yet. Lia, I will ensure everyone hates you. I meant it when I said I would ruin your life, and this is just the beginning."

Lia didn’t respond; instead, she stood her ground, crossing her arms. "Good luck with that. Now move." She brushed past Harper,

Her heart pounding as she stepped into the library, relief washed over her at its emptiness. She settled into a chair, her mind heavy with thoughts of how lonely her life had become. Once, she was the center of attention, effortlessly commanding a crowd that followed her presence. But now, an unsettling silence surrounded her; she felt utterly isolated.

Caught in this emotional whirlwind, she couldn’t help but wonder if something was wrong with her. It pained her to think about her past relationship. knowing that her closest friend had walked away, leaving her with no one to turn to. The weight of her solitude pressed down on her, and the thought of retreating into a dark corner seemed like the only escape from the overwhelming sadness. All she truly longed for was companionship and understanding, to feel connected again in a world that had grown so cold.

"Hey, sweetheart..." Tyler's voice cut through her spiral of thoughts, warm and familiar. "I figured I’d find you here."

"Just say it," Lia sighed, bracing herself for his words.

"What? I told you so?" Tyler joked, but his light-heartedness did little to lift the heaviness in the room.

"Did you know?" Lia’s gaze bore into his, searching for truth.

"No, but I knew he couldn’t be trusted..." Tyler paused, noticing her silence. "...Look, I’m sorry about Trudy and all that’s happening, but you need to find a way to move on. You can’t stay stuck like this forever."

"Yeah, of course. I’ll just wave a wand and make the hurt disappear," Lia snapped, the bitterness seeping into her words.

"Then let’s take it one step at a time," Tyler encouraged, his tone gentle yet firm. "You’ll be fine. Like a cat, you will always land on your feet."

"You’re right," she said, her resolve building as she stood up. "I almost forgot who I was. You know what? Fuck Harper, fuck Zayn, fuck Trudy, and off course fuck Asher. I am better than what they make me out to be." A smile began to spread across her face, and with renewed determination, she strode toward her next class.

Later that afternoon, Lia returned home, ready to retreat to her room. But her attention was caught by a framed photo of her parents in high school, glowing with youth and happiness. They were crowned Homecoming Queen and King, an iconic couple in a moment frozen in time. Looking at the image, a bittersweet nostalgia washed over her. She wished she could have known her father, but he radiating warmth and charisma from the photo, and somehow, that made her smile.

"Hey, you," her mother, Mrs. Stacey, entered the living room, breaking the spell.

"You’re back early," Lia remarked, surprised by her mother's early arrival.

"Nah, just needed to pick up a few things." Mrs. Stacey held up a bag, her presence filling the room with a familiar comfort. "What are you staring at?"

"Just your old pictures." Lia gestured toward the frame.

"Oh, those days were truly the best. Don’t worry; you’ll experience it all with Asher," her mother's words hit Lia like a stone, a sudden heaviness settling in her stomach.

"Ehmm... yes, of course," she replied, trying to mask her discomfort.

"I have to run now," Mrs. Stacey said, moving to leave.

"Mum..." Lia called after her, gathering her courage. "Why don’t I have either of your eyes?" The question hung in the air, sincere and curious.

"You must have inherited your eyes from your dad’s side; you are his daughter after all," her mother chuckled lightly.

"Alright, let me not keep you waiting," Lia said, trying to push back the wave of emotions.

"Alright, bye," Mrs. Stacey replied, walking out the door and leaving Lia to ponder her thoughts and the complexities of her identity before she returned to her solitude.

~~~~~~~

"You joined the hockey team?" Lia asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise as she noticed Tyler in his sporty outfit, complete with a jersey and padded shorts.

"Yeah, do you like it?" he responded, flexing his arms playfully to show off the gear.

"Honestly, I didn’t think you were much of a sporty person," Lia admitted, a slight smile forming on her lips. "But if you enjoy it, then I’m all for it."

Tyler’s face lit up at her support. "I was thinking, after school, we could go catch a movie," he suggested, hopeful.

"Sure, why not? Just as long as it’s a horror movie," she replied mischievously, excitement in her eyes.

Tyler chuckled, shaking his head. "You weirdo," he teased.

Suddenly, the door to the boys' locker room swung open, revealing Asher, a familiar face with a cocky facia expression "Lia!" he called out, striding over confidently.

"Asher, what do you want?" Lia asked, crossing her arms defensively, her posture clearly indicating she was not interested.

"I broke up with Harper," he declared, his tone overly dramatic.

"Okay..? I didn’t ask you to, and frankly, I don’t care," she replied bluntly, her eyes narrowing.

"Lia, I still love you, and I mean it," Asher insisted, stepping closer, a desperate look on his face.

"Yeah? Well, the feelings are not mutual. To be honest, I don’t even like you anymore," she shot back, feeling empowered by her honesty.

Asher’s confident facade faltered. "It's fine. I promise I will win you back," he vowed, though she could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

"Yeah, good luck with that," Tyler interjected, stepping protectively in front of Lia. He gestured toward her, "Lia, movies by four?"

"Yeah... good luck out there," she said to Tyler, a flicker of gratitude in her gaze as she turned to leave, knowing he had her back.

As the two of them walked away, Tyler’s expression soured as he looked back at Asher. "Stay away from her," he warned, his voice low and menacing, eyes narrowing into a glare.

"And who the hell do you think you are?" Asher shot back, trying to maintain his composure.

"You really have no clue, do you?" Tyler replied, his tone dripping with hate.

"Who would give a shit about you?" Asher retorted, arrogance lacing his words.

Tyler took a step closer, his expression darkening. "Alright then, I am Tyler Reed, but that’s just my mother’s last name. My real name? Tyler Wilde."

Asher’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?"

"Hello, half-brother," Tyler declared, a hint of satisfaction in his voice as he watched Asher’s jaw drop.

"No, I don’t have a brother," Asher snapped, anger rising.

"Yeah? But I’m pretty sure you remember the story you told those journalists," Tyler pressed, his words deliberate and heavy with meaning.

Asher’s expression shifted as the memories surfaced. "I don’t know what you’re talking about," he insisted, but the confidence in his voice was crumbling.

"Let’s try that again. It was your fourteenth birthday. You learnt that your father, the mayor, had a son before you. And you went to the press, without understanding the consequences," Tyler said, the bitter undertone of his voice evident.

"Oh yes, I remember, you are the legitimate son," Asher chuckled. But before he could finish his thought, Tyler pinned him against the wall with force.

"You think you’re so proud of yourself? Just watch as I set your world on fire…" Tyler pressed harder, rage and pain filling his eyes. "You destroyed everything I had. Now I’m going to take everything you possess."

"I... can’t... breathe..." Asher managed to gasp, panic rising in his chest as he struggled against Tyler’s grip.

Tyler finally released him, taking a step back. "I’ll start by taking the girl you love, bending her to my will. Then I’ll take your team....", Tyler paused "....he thinks you're his legacy. I’m going to tear everything he has worked hard for, starting with you," Tyler declared, his voice cold and filled with a fierce determination.

Asher gulped, still regaining his breath. "Does Lia know who you are?"

"No, and if you breathe a word to her, you’ll be surprised at what I can do," Tyler warned him, his voice dropping to a whisper laced with bitterness. "See you on the field," he added, turning away and leaving Asher reeling from the encounter, his mind spinning with disbelief and dread.