Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 721

Tyler stared at the redness around Isabel’s eyes. Without warning, he yanked open a drawer and tossed a pile of photos onto the desk.

“Did you do this?”

The pictures showed Emmy having dinner with the head of the Nelson family, clearly snapped in secret.

Isabel froze, her mind going blank.

“Why are you trying to stir up trouble between my mom and Emmy?” Tyler’s voice was icy. “These photos have been with me all this time. If my dad found out you were behind this, do you have any idea what would happen?”

All the color drained from Isabel’s face. The anger she’d shown moments ago disappeared in an instant, replaced by desperation.

“Tyler, please… Don’t tell the head of the Nelson family. I… I was wrong, okay?”

Tyler lifted his hand. His assistant understood right away, quietly slipping out and closing the door, leaving just the two of them in the office.

As he watched tears start to spill from Isabel’s eyes, Tyler pushed his wheelchair around the desk, stopping in front of her. He pulled a tissue from the box and handed it to her, his tone softer now.

“I can keep these photos quiet, or blame it all on Juan if you want. But Isabel, next time, talk to me before you do something like this.”

Isabel took the tissue, dabbing at her tears. Her voice shook, small and raw. “Tyler, is Jamie… is he really gone?”

She looked up at him, terrified.

“It’s been James this whole time, hasn’t it? He’s the one pretending to be him.”

Tyler’s dark eyes narrowed. He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he asked, “Who told you that?”

That alone was enough for Isabel. She wobbled where she stood, her voice barely a whisper. “So it’s true?”

Her denial tumbled out, weak and hopeless. “No, I… I can’t believe it…”

She stared off into the distance, as if all her strength had just disappeared.

“Jamie was the Nelson family’s heir. He was so special, so loved. How could he just… vanish like that? Without a word? I don’t believe it…”

Tears slid down her pale cheeks, one after another, like pearls breaking from a string. She looked like her whole world had caved in, and the sight made something sharp twist in Tyler’s chest.

He reached for another tissue, wanting to wipe away her tears, but as he stretched out his hand from the wheelchair, he realized he couldn’t reach her cheek. That little gap seemed impossibly wide.

Tyler’s brow tightened, and he forced down the wave of helplessness curling in his gut. His voice came out low, steady.

“Isabel, since you already know, I’ll tell you the truth. Jamie’s gone. He’s been gone for ten years.”

Tyler watched her, pain tightening in his chest.

He remembered. Ten years ago, he’d told her himself, right after the news came in. She couldn’t handle it. She’d collapsed with a raging fever and lost consciousness.

When she woke up, she’d forgotten everything about that awful day.

The Nelson family never even held a funeral for Jamie. They just erased every trace of him, like he’d never existed.

Whenever Isabel asked, everyone told her the same lie. The young heir went abroad to study.

Tyler watched her cling to that hope, and he never dared bring it up again.

He never imagined she’d turn her love into an obsession so deep she lost herself. She’d risked everything for a ghost, even tried to get close to James.

Her family sent her far away. She ended up depressed, needing treatment.

Tyler knew all of it.

He’d watched over her, quietly, for years.

But not once had she ever looked back at him.