All Chapters of Side Chick Tax: Everything: Chapter 21 - Chapter 28

28 Chapters

Chapter 21

Lyra was flipping through dresses with Theo at the mall when a painfully familiar voice called from behind."Lyra? Is that really you?"Her back went rigid, fingers clamping around the hanger.Theo caught the shift immediately and turned to see who she was looking at.Wesley stood a few feet away, unshaven, but his clothes were still crisp. His face broke into raw relief as he lunged forward and grabbed Lyra's wrist."I finally found you!"Theo reacted instantly, yanking Lyra back and stepping in front of her, solid as a barrier."Back off."Wesley's face twisted. "Lyra, who the hell is he?!"He tried to shove past Theo. "We need to talk.""You don't get to ask about my life." Lyra stepped out from behind Theo, her voice flat and cold."What do you mean I don't?" Wesley's voice shook. "I'm your husband. We were married for five years. You moved on that easily?"Under the bright mall lights, Lyra smiled.The same smile she wore the day she handed him the pen to sign the div

Chapter 22

Lyra sat on the bedroom window seat, scrolling her phone without really seeing the screen, irritation simmering.From downstairs came Wesley's hoarse shouting."Lyra! Please, just give me five minutes..."She pressed her lips together and texted Theo:[He's here again. Been yelling at the gate for half an hour. So annoying.]Theo replied right away:[Want me to come over?]Before she could answer, a loud bang echoed from below.Lyra rushed to the window and saw Victor standing on the steps, his usually gentle face hard with fury."Wesley Cheswick!" Victor's voice boomed. "My daughter weighed a hundred and eight pounds when she married you. She came back at ninety!"He seized Wesley by the collar. "What did you promise me at that wedding?"Wesley staggered but still lifted his chin. "Let me see Lyra.""It's house rules," Victor said coldly. "A cheating man doesn't step into this home unless he takes ninety-nine lashes. Can you handle that?""I can." Wesley dropped to his kn

Chapter 23

Wesley opened his eyes slowly to the sharp sting of disinfectant. Fire ripped across his back, forcing a breath out of him."Hiss."Sunlight slipped through the blinds, breaking into jagged shadows across the hospital bed.For a second, his head was still stuck in the dream.In it, he hadn't betrayed Lyra. They were happy. Together. They even had twins, two perfect kids curled between them. Her smile was soft, real enough that he could almost remember the light jasmine scent in her hair.The smile tugging at his lips barely lasted before reality hit him like ice water.The hospital room was empty, filled with nothing but the steady beep of machines. No warm house. No wife pulling the blanket up around him."Heh." Wesley let out a dry laugh. It pulled at the wounds on his back, pain flaring sharp and fast.Still, it didn't touch the regret tearing through his chest.He thought about Lyra's cold stare that day. The way she said she would never forgive him.This was on him. All

Chapter 24

Lyra sprawled lazily in Theo's arms, twirling a finger around the buttons of his shirt.Sunlight poured through the window. Theo peeled grapes for her, long fingers twisting neatly as the skins slipped free and the fruit dropped into the bowl."Theo, I want a pretzel from that spot on the east side," she said, voice syrupy on purpose.He set the grapes down at once and grabbed his phone. "I'll have someone get it."Lyra closed her eyes, satisfied. Being cherished like this felt amazing.She was about to lean in and kiss him when a sharp shout sliced through the quiet outside."Lyra! I'll prove myself to you!"Wesley stood at the gates of the Leighton estate, still in a hospital gown. The lash marks on his back kept him from standing straight, but his stare was locked in, stubborn as ever.Lyra frowned. "He's here again."Theo patted her hand. "I've got it."Outside the gate, the two men squared off."You don't have the right to stop me," Wesley snapped, eyes burning.Theo l

Chapter 25

Wesley stood at the Leighton estate gates, clutching a limited-edition designer bag.The cuffs of his suit were frayed. His shoes were dull. His eyes still burned with purpose."Lyra!" He hurried toward her. "I bought the bag you like."Lyra wore a beige suit, her hair loosely pinned. Clean. Effortless.She gave the bag a lazy glance, a faint smile that didn't explain itself."Oh?" She took it and let it drop.The bag hit the ground with a hard smack.Lyra lifted her heel and crushed it, grinding it back and forth without pause."You—" Wesley froze."What I liked yesterday, I don't like today." Her voice stayed flat. Her gaze was cold, like she was looking at a stranger. "Same with you. Seeing you now makes me sick."Wesley went pale.The bag he'd emptied himself to buy was just trash under her shoe."Is there really no chance for us?" His voice shook. "I'll do whatever it takes to give you the life you want.""Whatever it takes?" Lyra let out a short laugh. "And last time

Chapter 26

Lyra stood by the window. Theo stepped in behind her and wrapped his arms around her, his chin resting lightly on her head."What are you thinking about?" His warm breath brushed her ear.She leaned back into him and smiled. "That time we met and you shoved a frog into my backpack."Theo laughed, the sound rolling through her back. "You know that was because you pushed me into the fountain, right? I had nightmares for three days."Laughter drifted up from the garden below.Victor and Bennard were locked in a chess match, while Bennard's wife, Helena, chatted with the Leighton family's chef about the wedding menu.Ever since she and Theo got together, their families had been meeting almost every week."Lyra, come try this." Helena walked over with a plate. "I tweaked the pudding for you. Half the sugar."Lyra took a bite. The sweetness spread, light and clean. "It's really good. Thank you, Mrs. Tremont.""Still 'Mrs.'?" Bennard called from the garden. "You should drop that alre

Chapter 27

On the wedding day, Lyra stood at the end of the red carpet in a clean white gown, her arm linked with Victor's. A soft smile sat on her lips.Victor's eyes were red. His grip on her hand shook."Lyra," he said after a steadying breath, "my greatest wish in this life is to see you happy."Her nose stung. She squeezed his hand. "Dad, I am happy now."He nodded, fighting tears, and walked her step by step toward Theo.Theo waited at the end of the aisle in a perfectly tailored black suit, eyes locked on her, love obvious and unguarded.When she reached him, he swallowed. His voice was rough. "Lyra, I've waited for this day for a very long time."The priest smiled and motioned for them to exchange vows.Theo took a deep breath and pulled out the love letter he had never dared to give her back then."When I wrote this, my hands were shaking so bad I could barely keep the letters straight," he said, his voice uneven. "Lyra, if you like me even a little, wear the purple hairband tom

Chapter 28

They found out Lyra was pregnant on a bright afternoon.Theo held the lab report with shaking hands. His usually steady voice wobbled. "Is... Is it real?"The doctor smiled and nodded. "Congratulations. You're six weeks along."Theo spun around and lifted Lyra off the floor—then froze, panic hitting all at once. He set her down fast and hovered over her stomach, hands unsure. "Did I hurt the baby? I was too rough."Lyra laughed and pinched his cheek. "It's not that fragile."Still, Theo couldn't relax.On the drive home, he barely went over twenty-five. Every speed bump made him tense, like he wanted to get out and smooth the road by hand.As soon as they got back, he pulled out a notebook and started a list.Pregnancy nutrition. Prenatal appointments. Safety precautions..."Theo." Lyra sighed and took the pen. "Breathe."He looked up, eyes a little red. "Lyra, I'm scared."She paused."I'm scared you'll be in pain. Scared it'll be too hard." His voice rasped as he rested h

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