Chapter 6: Heartbreak, Hate, and Hope

During the week Tyler was away, he messaged me every day despite the time difference.

I opened our chat history:

[Maddie, how come I already miss you after just one day?]

[Just got to my place. Food here sucks. Not as good as your mac and cheese. Can’t wait to come home.]

[Guess what I ate today? Burgers! Didn’t expect to find an American diner here. Next time I’ll take you.]

[Maddie, have you ever seen LA at 3 a.m.? I have. Gotta meet a client today—so tired.]

[Why is it only Wednesday? When can I come home? Ahhh, I miss my sweet Maddie.]

[Happy Friday afternoon! Guess what big thing I accomplished today? I’ll keep it secret for now—tell you when I’m back. You’ll be happy!]

…

[Woohoo, on the way to the airport. I’ll be home tomorrow.]

[Boarding now—wait for me, wait for me! (salute.jpg)]

His constant updates made me laugh.

The world may wound me, but in a quiet corner, someone is always there to mend my heart.

I replied to each message I’d missed.

He shared everything with me; I answered everything in return.

Love is mutual.

The fallout from my father cutting me off hadn’t died down when Autumn, learning Tyler was coming home, tagged him on Instagram:

“Waiting for you.”

She even posted an old childhood photo of herself and Tyler.

But the photo looked off, almost fake.

Right after she posted, viewers speculated:

[Is this a public relationship announcement? Even if not, Tyler and Autumn must be getting married soon.]

[Childhood sweethearts! Love it! Wishing them happiness!]

[Hope they have two kids in three years!]

Her comments were full of blessings.

The more I looked at her photo, the more familiar it seemed—wasn’t that a picture of me and Tyler? She’d photoshopped my face out and put hers in!

I wanted to go confront her, but someone beat me to it online.

The next second, my agent called:

“Holy crap, Maddie, check Tyler’s Instagram!”

A headline popped up:

#TylerGrant Fiercely Defends His Wife#

Before I could click, my notifications hit 99+.

On Tyler’s page, his top post was a reply to Autumn’s, blunt and simple:

“Wait for your damn self.”

I have to admit, Tyler’s cursing is next level.

He commented under her post:

“Autumn, who? Don’t know her.”

“Don’t try to cling, or my lawyer will be in touch.”

“You’re crazy. When did I ever know you?”

“Bull. I like Autumn? That’s ridiculous!”

“Even if you were the last woman on earth, I wouldn’t want you.”

“Shut up before I block you.”

Tyler’s unexpected move crashed Instagram:

[Whoa! Tyler Grant, live! He never posts, but when he does, it’s explosive!]

[He looks so angry. Anyone got the scoop?]

[Wait, does Tyler not like Autumn? Was she never his fiancée?]

[Actually, Tyler never said they were engaged. Maybe there’s a twist coming.]

Tyler replied: “No twist. Don’t make stuff up. I have a wife—@MadisonRivera.”

[Holy crap! What?! Did you just call Madison your wife?!]

[Wife! So it was Madison all along! How could Autumn try to steal her sister’s fiancé?]

[Here’s the original photo!]

Someone posted the unedited photo with my face, and everyone was shocked at how well I’d hidden our relationship.

But despite the shock, my reputation was still in tatters. Viewers urged Tyler to break up with me.

They even made a “Top Ten Sins” PowerPoint of my scandals.

Suddenly, Tyler went silent online.

My fragile heart started to panic.

Would he leave me too?

Just as I was about to put my phone down, Tyler posted a long essay.

The essay was thousands of words. Turns out, he’d been planning this for a while.

He detailed our whole history, from childhood to now—when he fell for me, how he pursued me, all his little thoughts.

He tagged me again:

“You’re the breeze, the sunset, the heartbeat, the irreplaceable one.

“Maddie, no matter the chaos or rumors, for the rest of my life, I’ll be your knight.”

Love at first sight, and still in love after all this time.

“Ba-dum, ba-dum”—that’s my heartbeat.

“Ba-dum, ba-dum”—two hearts answering each other.

Just like when he protected me as a child, he stood by me again.

With trembling hands, I replied:

“Through morning and night, through the years, I want to walk with you to the light. @TylerGrant.”

That was our official announcement.

Except for me, Tyler isn’t gentle with anyone.

He already knew what happened on the show.

As the sponsor, he quickly got the footage of Autumn framing me.

There was even video of her applying purple waterproof makeup to fake bruises.

Tyler posted, calling out Autumn:

“I told the crew to take care of my wife. Who are you? Don’t embarrass yourself.”

The truth came out.

Only then did viewers realize they’d been played by Autumn.

She slunk offline, but the internet never forgets.

They turned all their earlier hate on her.

But it didn’t end there.