From Discarded Wife to Queen (Tyrone) novel Chapter 386

Chapter 386 The Grave

“Tyrone, you promised me. You said we’d take that family trip before the year ended.

“We even pinky–swore. You looked me right in the eye and promised!

“You liar! Don’t you dare sleep through this! Wake up! Get up!”

Her cries tore through the silence like glass shattering.

Finished

In the end, Brad had to pull her away, his arms locking around her as she screamed and fought to stay.

By noon, the hill had emptied. The mourners were gone.

Mason walked up quietly, a white rose resting in his palm. “Here,” he murmured.

Aella reached out and took it.

She walked toward Tyrone’s grave, every step heavy.

Mason stayed behind, silent beneath the gray sky, the umbrella steady in his hand.

Aella knelt by the headstone and placed the rose down.

Her eyes lingered on his photo–young, proud, too serious for someone who had barely lived.

Her voice came out calm, though her throat burned. “Tyrone, whatever we had ends here.”

She rose slowly, staring down at his name carved in stone. “If there’s a next life, we’ll be strangers. I’ll make sure of that.”

When she turned, Mason stepped closer and held the umbrella over her.

They met eyes, both wordless, both heavy with thoughts they couldn’t say.

They walked down the hill together, the sound of rain filling the silence between them.

At the bottom, Mason spoke softly. “Do you want me to drive you to the Winters?”

Aella shook her head. “No. I’m going home.”

Some wounds could only heal from within. Virginia and Raine were surrounded by people now. They didn’t need her. Even if she went, she couldn’t do anything for them.

14.13 Tue, Nov 4

pl 386 The Grave

66

Finished

When she got home, it was almost three.

Clyde was at college. Sayer had gone to help Daniel.

Aella sat at the dining table, staring at the food she couldn’t eat.

Her stomach felt hollow.

Across from her, her parents were just as silent.

The whole house was drowned in still air, thick and unmoving.

Finally, Aella forced a faint smile and told her parents not to worry, saying a few gentle words she didn’t believe.

She stayed home one day, then went back to work.

When Daniel saw her at the hospital, his brows drew together. “You came back already? You should rest more.”

Aella shook her head. “I should keep myself busy.”

Daniel sighed but didn’t argue.

Keeping herself busy was also keeping those thoughts at bay.

Aella threw herself into her work, losing track of time.

Since the day she’d heard Tyrone was gone, she hadn’t cried once.

The tears were there, buried deep, but they refused to come.

People could say she was cold or heartless. They could think what they wanted.

14:13 Tue, Nov 4

She jogged up to him. He flicked the cigarette away and opened the car door. “Get in. Let’s talk inside.

He sighed in defeat.

“Just look through it before you

refuse.”

Aella opened the folder. Her name was printed on the deed.

Her breath hitched when she saw the address. It was the old Reid Residence.

She looked up, eyes wide.

“Check the date,” Brad said.

She looked again. The transaction was dated a week before her birthday.

Brad’s voice dropped lower. “When your family lost the house, Tyrone tried everything to buy it back. But the new owner loved it too much. No price could convince him.”

He paused. “Then recently, the man gave the house to his son as a wedding gift. That’s when Tyrone got it back.”

3/4

JOU

Aella’s hands trembled as she held the deed. Her lips parted, but no words came.

She remembered that night–their wedding night. She’d laughed and told Tyrone that the Reid house was the prettiest home she’d ever lived in.

He’d kissed her and whispered, “Then I’ll bring it back to you someday.”

Now, he had kept that promise in silence.

Aella finally accepted the deed. Brad sat in his car, watching her drive away.

He looked down at the card still in his hand and muttered, “You dumb bastard.”

By seven that night, his car pulled into the Winter Estate. Raine was waiting near the garage, wearing only a thin shirt.