Chapter 144: Clutching Desperately For Love
Long after she had gone, the weight of Brooke’s accusations still hung heavy in the air, a suffocating blanket of doubt and confusion. Once again, Lyse stared at the photograph, the image of herself leaving the hotel room a stark, undeniable reality. The date, written clearly at the bottom of the picture, confirmed Brooke’s claims: it was the day that she was supposed to marry Brandon.
A cold dread settled in her stomach. Could it be true? Could she have betrayed Brandon in such a way? And with his father. The thought was abhorrent to her, completely at odds with the person she believed herself to be and she wanted to puke her guts out. Yet, the evidence was staring her in the face. Pictures did not lie.
Driven by a desperate need for answers, Lyse turned to the one source she had not yet considered: the internet. With trembling hands, she opened her laptop and began to search. She typed in her name, "Lyse Spade," and braced herself for whatever she might find.
The search results were overwhelming. Articles, blog posts, social media profiles – a digital record of a life she did not remember at all and could not conceive of herself living it.
She found it immediately; An article announcing her marriage. The headline was bold and stark: "Lyse Spade announces controversial marriage to Levi Van Doren and the launching of her fashion brand." The accompanying photograph showed her, radiant and smiling, standing at a press conference.
Lyse’s breath caught in her throat. The image was undeniable. It was her alright, and even though there was no Levi Van Doren with her, she could no longer deny it. The date of the wedding was clearly stated: a couple of months before her accident.
A wave of shock washed over her. She was really married? To Levi Van Doren? The name was vaguely familiar, but she could not recall ever meeting him, she could not remember Brandon ever mentioning him and he was allegedly his real father. How then could she have married him? Why?
With shaking hands, she dug for more information on the next and found paparazzi shots of her and a blue eyed, handsome older gentleman who held her protectively as the walked through the crowd.
Lyse’s eyes narrowed as she stared at the man in the picture, she recognized him. But from where?