I Married My Ex's Billionaire Father
Chapter 213: Brandon Made A Video

Chapter 213: Brandon Made A Video

The dim glow of the soundless television screen illuminated the otherwise darkened living room. Lyse sat motionless on the couch, her gaze fixed on the flickering images, yet her eyes saw nothing. She had been in the same spot for hours, replaying the events of the day in her mind, each memory a fresh wound. The weight of Levi’s revelation pressed down on her, suffocating her with a mixture of confusion, hurt, and a lingering, unwanted longing.

The front door creaked open, and James entered, his footsteps echoing through the quiet apartment. He paused, taking in the scene before him. Lyse, still on the couch, her posture slumped, her face pale and drawn. He rushed over to her, his usual exuberance replaced by concern.

"Lyse?" he asked, his voice gentle. "Are you alright? You’re still here?"

Lyse blinked, as if just noticing his presence. She shrugged listlessly. "Yeah," she murmured, her voice flat. "I didn’t feel like going anywhere."

James sat down beside her, his brow furrowed. "You haven’t moved an inch since I left," he observed, his gaze sweeping over her. "You haven’t even turned on the lights."

Lyse shrugged again. "I didn’t see the point."

James sighed. He knew Lyse was hurting, but he also knew she couldn’t wallow in her misery forever. He had to find a way to pull her out of this darkness, to remind her that she had people who cared about her, that she wasn’t alone.

"Did you see what’s going on online?" he asked, his voice laced with excitement.

Lyse looked at him, her eyes devoid of any real interest. "Ethan sent me a link to Levi’s press conference," she said, her tone indifferent. "I watched it already."

James’s excitement deflated slightly. "No, not that," he said. "I’m talking about Brandon."

Lyse’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of curiosity sparking within their depths. "Brandon?" she echoed, her voice laced with surprise. "What about him?"

James sat beside her, his enthusiasm returning. "He made a video, Lyse. A video defending you."

Lyse’s eyebrows furrowed. "Defending me? From what?"

"From everything!" James exclaimed. "From all the accusations, the rumors, the hate. He has finally spoken out."

Lyse looked at him, her expression skeptical. "Brandon? Why would he do that?"

James nodded. "I mean, who cares? What is important is that he is setting the record straight. He’s telling everyone the truth. Maybe he has finally realized what he’s lost."

Lyse remained unconvinced. "What did he say?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion.

Lyse’s eyes narrowed slightly. "The truth?"

James nodded eagerly. "Yes! He’s explaining why you broke up. He is telling everyone that it wasn’t because you cheated, that it was because he... because he wasn’t strong enough to stand up for you."

Lyse’s expression remained skeptical. "And you think this is going to change anything?" she asked, her voice laced with cynicism. "You think people are going to believe him?"

"I don’t know," James admitted. "But it’s worth a try, right? It’s better than nothing."

"Can I see the video?" Lyse asked, her voice finally showing a flicker of interest.

"Of course!" James said, grabbing his phone from his pocket. He quickly navigated to the video and pressed play.

Lyse watched the video intently, her eyes fixed on Brandon’s face as he spoke. He looked nervous, his eyes darting around the room, but his voice was firm and resolute.

"Hi everyone," Brandon began, his voice slightly shaky. "I’m Brandon. And I’m here to talk about Lyse Spade, who you all know was my girlfriend and almost wife at a point."

He paused, taking a deep breath. "There have been a lot of rumors circulating about our breakup, rumors that I’ve been too cowardly to address. And I’m here to tell you that those rumors are false."

Lyse’s eyes widened slightly. She had not expected Brandon to be so direct, so honest.

"Lyse did not cheat on me," Brandon continued, his voice growing stronger. "Our relationship ended because of my own shortcomings. I wasn’t the man she needed me to be. I wasn’t strong enough to stand up for her, to protect her from the attacks she was facing from my mother."

He paused again, his eyes filled with regret. "Lyse is an amazing woman," he said, his voice laced with emotion. "She’s kind, she’s intelligent, she’s beautiful. Any man would be lucky to have her."

A flicker of emotion crossed Lyse’s face. She looked away from the screen, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and gratitude.

"I was a fool to let her go," Brandon continued. "And I’m here to tell the world that I regret it. I regret everything."

He paused again, his gaze hardening. "And to those who have been attacking Lyse, I say this: you are wrong. You’re completely wrong about her. She’s not the person you think she is. She’s a good person, a kind person, and she deserves nothing but happiness and a man by her side who will not put her in situations where she gets attacked."

He took another deep breath, his eyes meeting the camera’s gaze. "And to Lyse," he said, his voice softer now, "I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything. I hope... I hope that one day you can forgive me."

The video ended, leaving Lyse in a stunned silence. She stared at the blank screen, her mind reeling. She hadn’t expected this. She hadn’t expected Brandon to come to her defense, to admit his own failings.

"What do you think?" James asked, his voice filled with anticipation.

Lyse looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and gratitude. "I... I don’t know what to say," she admitted. "I didn’t expect him to do that."

"Me neither," James said. "He obviously regrets what happened."

Lyse nodded slowly. "I know," she said quietly. "But... it doesn’t change anything."

"It changes the narrative," James argued. "It shows people the truth."

"Maybe," Lyse said. "But the truth is... it doesn’t matter anymore."

James frowned. "What do you mean?"

Lyse sighed. "It’s too late," she said. "The damage is done. People have already made up their minds about me. They’ll never see me the same way again."

"Don’t say that, Lyse," James protested. "You’re wrong. People are forgiving. They’ll come around."

Lyse shook her head. "I don’t know, James," she said. "I just... I just want to be alone."

James looked at her, his heart aching for her pain. He knew there was nothing he could say to make her feel better. She needed time, time to process everything that had happened.

"Okay," he said softly. "I’ll leave you alone. But... please, Lyse. Don’t shut yourself off from the world. Don’t give up on yourself."

Lyse nodded, her eyes still fixed on the blank television screen. James stood up, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he turned and left the room. He knew she was hurting, and he wished there was something he could do to ease her pain. But all he could do was offer his support and hope that she would find her way back to happiness.