Chapter 8
In Jardora, the Lampard family was the crème de la crème, and the Walters family was just looking up at them. A catch like Trevor was out of Melanie’s league for sure.
Melanie let out a wishful sigh. If I could snag a guy like him, I’d give anything!”
She was power–walking towards him. Just as she was about to cross the street, she watched Trevor get into his car and peel out, leaving her in the dust.
She made a resolution and said to herself, “Tll have Dad work his magic for me. I’m gorgeous, got the looks and the curves. Even Kylie’s boyfriend is head over heels for me. Maybe Trevor would be too.
“Where’s Craig, though? He was supposed to take me shopping. Did he go to Kylie?” At the mention of Kylie, Melanie’s face lit up with a smile. “I can’t wait to see how Kylie’s gonna wriggle out of this one! She had the audacity to give me attitude at the hospital yesterday.”
Bored and waiting, she pulled out her phone and dialed Julie. “Mom, I just called Kylie again, but she’s still not responding. Should I go find her? Make an apology, maybe!”
“Don’t bother. Your dad’s cut off her credit card; she’ll be back soon enough. She’s such a headache. If she was half as good as you, we’d be thanking our lucky stars,” Julie said, her frustration palpable. She had been up all night, seething.
After soothing her mom, Melanie hung up and called Austin, her older brother.
She recounted the whole story, her voice trembling. “Austin, should you and Claude call Kylie? Mom and Dad didn’t sleep at wink because of her. And…. she’s your real sister
Austin, already stressed with his experiments going south, was even more irritated at his sister’s drama “You’re the sister we got. Let her do what she wants.”
Melanie smiled, feeling a rush of happiness. Austin, I know you’re busy. Make sure to rest up.”
“Yep, will do, he replied, trying to hide his annoyance.
Kylie pushed open the door, and the scent of home–cooked food hit her like a warm hug. Amanda’s kitchen magic was in full swing, transforming everyday ingredients into a sensory celebration.
For a moment, Kylie stood there, the familiarity almost surreal. Her vision blurred with emotion as she watched Amanda and Ethan in their element, the kitchen buzzing with their playful banter.
“Kylie’s crazy about this. Mom. Go all out,” Ethan said, his tone playful.
“Always do for my girl,” Amanda shot back. “Where are your brothers at?”
“Hoard and James just called. Stuck in traffic, but they’re on their way,” Ethan replied.
Amanda’s smile could’ve lit up the room. “Great It’s been an age since we’ve all been at the table together.”
Right then, Kylie’s phone vibrated with a message from Trevor. [Business trip. Be back in a few days.]
She tapped out a “Roger that,” and then she was in the kitchen, her voice bright. “Guess who’s home!”
In the past life, she’d reached out to the Lampard family for a lifeline. She knew Ethan and James had been through the wringer and could use some direction in Jardora.
But she never got to ask. Samuel and Julie had made their disdain crystal clear.
“Kylie’s back!” Amanda said, her voice a symphony. “Why don’t you go unwind in the living room? Dinner’s almost set.”
Ethan chimed in. “We got this covered, honey.”
With a grin, Kylie agreed. The love from her family was a feeling she cherished to the core.
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Chapter 8
Trevor’s phone lit up with the short reply from Kylie as he rolled towards the airport, and he gave a little shrug that spoke volumes.
Zach was all over it. “Boss, if that’s a thumbs down, I’ll get the crew to whip something new,” he said, ready to start a new thread on their group chat.
Trevor raised an eyebrow at him. “Who said I didn’t like it?”
Zach kept quiet, not about to admit he’d read Trevor’s face like a book. Instead, he gave a laugh that sounded more like a cough.
Then, out of nowhere, their smooth ride turned into a heart–stopper as the car jammed on the brakes. Zach’s laptop-not just any laptop, but a top–of–the–line model that had cost him a pretty penny–went flying and bit the dust.
His eyes about bugged out of his head.
Their drive looked like he’d seen a ghost as he shouted, “Pile–up!”
They’d missed being part of it by the skin of their teeth.
Trevor looked up to see the car in front of them, now just a memory under the fallen tanker, its logo the only thing left standing.
The chaos had spread like wildfire. The overpass was a zoo, a sea of stuck cars and honking horns.
Amanda and Ethan had cooked up a feast that could have fed a small army. James and Hoard, Kylie’s brothers, had just walked
- in.
They closed in on Kylie the moment they saw her, their faces etched with concern. They didn’t need to ask a lot of questions; their body language said it all. They were worried about how Kylie had been treated by the Lampard family
“Kylie, if those Lampards give you any grief, just holler. We got your back, Hoard said, his tone fierce.
He’d never been a fan of the Lampard family, especially not the snooty sister who’d looked down her nose at them the first time they met. And to him, Kylie was family.
“Hoard’s spot on. You’re not in this alone, Ethan added, his voice gentle. He’d always been protective of Kylie, and it was clear she’d been having a tough time with the Lampard family. She looked like she’d lost weight, which broke his heart.
“Guys, don’t be so dramatic. The Lampard family are Kylie’s family now. They’d never mistreat her,” Amanda said, trying to play peacemaker as she grabbed some sodas from the fridge.
She knew her boys weren’t fans of the Lampard family, but she also knew they were Kylie’s relatives. Criticizing them too harshly would only make things harder for Kylie.
Kylie let out a light laugh. “I’ve moved out of the Lampard residence. Found my own spot and I’m not going back.”
“What?” The family exchanged worried glances. “Why would she move out so suddenly? Have the Lampard family been unkind to her?
“You shouldn’t be living alone. It’s not safe, Amanda said quickly. “Come back home. It’s just me and Hoard here. Your older brothers are always out working; they’ve got company housing. We can make it work.
In Jardora, rent was sky–high, so Amanda had only been able to afford a two–bedroom apartment. The older boys were always out working, with their companies providing them places to stay. When they did come home for a reunion, it was a tight squeeze for the three brothers.
“Ill take the couch. Kylie, you can have my room,” Hoard offered without hesitation.
Before Kylie could finish her refusal, her phone rang. She was about to ignore it, but when she saw it was from Noreen, she picked up right away and called Noreen’s name.
“Kylie, a car accident happened to Trevor!” Noreen’s voice was urgent
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