The Return of Tyler Redwood

Chapter 4

Katerina could only stare at her mother in disbelief, sliding a look at Mark. The asshole puffed out his chest, a smug look on his handsome face as he pretended to be busy with his phone.Men like him have no character or substance, which is why they rely on their money to do most of the talking, swaying people's minds, but not hers.

Tyler stood rigid beside her, probably waiting to hear the worst… that she would dump him and run to Mark, never in a million years has she met someone like Tyler though. Underneath his scary exterior which has most people flinching away from fear, he's the sweetest man she knows.

He's soft, patient, and kind but most of all…he saw her for who she truly was, underneath the multitude of scars that graced her body.

With an apologetic look, Katerina pulled away slipping her hand into Tyler's. 

“I'm sorry but I won't do it.” She announced, flooring the entire room. Her mother's gasp was the loudest of them all. 

“Katerina, are you thinking about what you're saying? This is an-”

“Mom, I'm an adult, not a kid.” She said firmly. “I choose Tyler, and I have no intentions of divorcing him. “But why, honey?” Rose pressed.

“ Because I want to be treated like a person, not a trophy. When I was scarred and looked horrible, none of them stuck up for me, except Tyler. Forgive me but I'm not going to bind myself to a man that doesn't care about me.” she said 

Katerina waited for her mother to say otherwise but she just flapped her mouth twice, as if she was holding back her words,to say she wasn't expecting what happened next would be an 

understatement.  

“How dare you, Katerina?!” Rose spat, her hand flying up to slap Katerina. “After everything I've gone through for you?!”

Katerina's head snapped to the side and her eyes watered with tears from the impact of the slap. Too stunned to fully comprehend what just happened, Katerina just stood there with her hands on her cheeks.

Rose was on a roll, she moved closer ready to land another one but Tyler intercepted.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you, ma'am.” He says politely, stepping in front of her his body acting like a shield. Rose scoffed, giving him the stink eye. “Don't you have any shame? Forcing an innocent girl to be with you, no matter what?” She kept rolling, not waiting for a response.

 “Look at Mark, he's ten times the man that you are. Influential, rich, powerful… he can give Katerina the love she deserves. Why would you hold her back from that?” She cried out.

Tyler stared at her, his face blank. “I'm not holding Katerina back. If she wants me to leave, then I'll do so but only when she asks me to.” His words were cutting but firm. “Like it or not, Mrs Petrova but I'm her husband, nothing's going to separate us except the two of us.”

Rose folded against his raw power, feeling hopeless against both of them, she could almost feel her dreams and hopes go down the drain again, the sound of a cane hitting the floor echoed through the quiet room and everyone looked up to see the woman they were all here for.

Elizabeth Bloom Petrova,Katerina's grandmother, she walked towards them, leaning heavily on her cane with a young girl trailing behind her, Katerina was reminded of the fond memories she shared with her grandmother when she was a kid.

“Noona!” Katerina walked forward to hug her tightly.

“Oh, my child.” She said fondly, rubbing her weathered hand over Katerina's smooth cheek. “You look as beautiful as ever!”

“Thank you, Noona. Happy birthday.” Katerina pressed a kiss to her paper-like skin. Up close, Katerina was reminded of how time had taken a toll on her grandmother. Her body was more fragile and she needed support to be upright for certain hours. But on the plus side, Noona still smelt faintly of curry and lavender. 

“Now, what's going on here?” Noona boomed, her sharp eyes landing on Rose who wilted under her gaze. Garret was all too willing to supply details. “This lovely gentleman here, is interested in marrying Katerina but she stubbornly declines… despite the generous dowry and pleas of her mother.”

“Is that so?” Noona queried, arching a brow at Katerina. “Yes.” she stood her ground.

“Why? If I may ask?” Noona rested heavily on the cane. “We as a family, especially your mother, have gone through a lot with the trolls because of what happened to you and now that there's a chance to undo all that, you're just going to say no?”

Katerina swallowed. “Noona…”

“Now is the time to make your parents proud, not going against their wishes,” Noona advised.

“Noona, I respect you a lot but this one time I'm not going to listen to you.” She said. “You all couldn't tolerate me at best, but Tyler did. He looked at the scars and helped…which is more than any of you did.”

“You know what, this is not why we came here.” Tyler burst out, reaching for Katerina's hand. “Come on honey, let's go.”

Mark stepped in front of them, KOblocking the way and he grabbed Tyler's shirt. “Listen here, I'm not going to let you come between Katerina and I , so step back dude!” Tyler only peeled back his lips in a grin, gently pushing Katerina behind him.

Reaching up in move so fast, Mark's brain couldn't comprehend it, Tyler pushed him off grabbing his hand and then he twisted it, shoving it up his back.

Mark screamed in pain, which only motivated Tyler to twist it even more. “Don't ever think that I'm anything like you, because I'm not.” He growled into Mark's ears, sending shivers down his spine.

Not the good kind.