Family Secret

"I think it's better for us to have some space so we can sort out our feelings," he added. 

She couldn't argue with his logic. It made sense for both to move on and live separate lives. 

Him staying, and her looking after him, would only drag out the pain. They couldn't be together, and holding on might eventually push them toward something they would regret. 

Her eyes landed on him again,

A lot had changed—his looks, the way he carried himself, even his voice. 

There was more confidence now, and a stronger, more masculine presence. 

No doubt, he could find a girlfriend easily. She would be lying to herself if she said that didn't make her feel a little uneasy. 

But she need to accept that. 

'That's right, he's still young. I can't steal his youth away just because of my selfishness. He still has so much to experience,' she muttered, trying to convince herself she made the right choice. 

She was about to say something when the waiter showed up. 

Terrence told her to eat first, then started talking casually to ease the tension between them. He said harsh things to her before, but it came out in the heat of the moment. 

With that settled, they finished their dinner and left the restaurant. 

Walking behind him, she stayed quiet on the way to the parking lot. 

His back looked broader now. She wanted to hold him so badly, but she had to keep herself in check. 

If only she was honest and put her own feelings first, they might be holding hands now. 

She didn't just like Terrence—she loved him. 

From the moment she saw the sadness in his eyes, she promised herself she would make him happy. She did everything she could to support him. 

He might have thought she was just chasing her own satisfaction, but for her, it was real love.

Unfortunately, she need to bury all those feelings and carry them alone. Once again, it was all for one person. 

"So…where do you plan to move? Are you thinking of living in your apartment?" she asked, forcing herself to start a conversation. 

"Well, that's my original plan, but it's too small. I want to rent a bigger place." 

"Do you have the money? If not, I can lend you—" 

He shook his head. "Aunt Effie, I actually made a lot from crypto. I'm doing pretty well now." 

She didn't doubt him for a second. 

"That's good to know. But can I at least visit? I've been taking care of everything for you, so you might struggle to adjust on your own." 

A small smile appeared on his face. Even after everything, she still cared. 

"You can visit, but not to clean or do my laundry. I want to turn my life around and be more independent." 

"What am I supposed to do then?" 

"Nothing much. You can check on me or even bring some donuts if you want," 

She giggled, and their interaction slowly grew more natural. Neither acted the same way as before, just like Terrence wanted. 

Now that he calmed down, the world seemed to regain its color—figuratively, of course. It wasn't like he was actually colorblind. 

And so, he began treating her more like a friend than just his step aunt. 

They finally reached her car. She offered him a ride home, and he accepted. 

BEEP! BEEP!

She entered their home address before taking the wheel. 

The car switched to self-driving mode. 

Roads were quiet at this hour, so they spent most of the ride talking. She seemed set on making every moment count, knowing he would be leaving tomorrow. 

When they pulled into the driveway, another car was already there. It belonged to his uncle. 

THUD!

The house door swung open, and he stormed out, furious. 

"OPEN THE DOOR!" He shouted, pounding on the window. 

Effie looked terrified. She opened it, but before she could say anything, he grabbed her hair and shoved her to the ground. 

"You fucking whore!" he spat out. 

"What did I do, Tyler?" she asked, her lips trembling. 

"You know what you did! You had one job, and you messed it up!" he yelled, then raised his hand and slapped her hard. 

Terrence got out quickly to mitigate. "Uncle, calm down. We just celebrated my birthday." 

"Stay away from this, Terrence. This is between me and her." He grabbed her hair again and dragged her back toward the house. 

Anger overwhelmed him to the point that Terrence went unrecognized as the same guy who followed him into the hotel.

"Uncle, stop," he grabbed Tyler's shoulder. But he was pushed away. 

"I said stop!" 

Tyler pushed him again, but Terrence had enough.

He slipped behind his uncle and locked him in a chokehold. 

"What are you doing?!" Tyler gasped, struggling for air. 

"I should be the one asking you that! Why are you hitting her?" 

"Fuck... Don't defend that whore." 

Terrence felt his uncle struggling against him. "Stop resisting, and calm down first."