Chapter 18 – Unraveling Emotions and Plans
We returned from China after spending a week there. The past week was filled with bliss as I barely got out of bed.
Every waking moment was spent in Ryder’s arms. He taught me what it means to truly be loved by someone.
By the time we returned back to Australia, I was glowing positively and fully healed from the trauma Jack caused me.
It was time to get back to work and my next step was to ruin Matt’s company.
He was Jack’s best friend and the person who helped him carry out his evil deed.
“Did you find anything on Matt, John?” I asked Ryder’s assistant as I relaxed in Ryder’s arms.
Ryder was feeding me strawberries and I was enjoying the sweet nectar.
“Matt is very careful. But the backlash of what happened has put a strain on his company so he’s looking for new investors,” John answered.
I smiled, “Secretly buy all his shares so he’ll be voted out as the CEO and then I’ll reveal myself as the new CEO.”
Ryder kissed me and I blushed, feeling butterflies rise in my stomach.
“You are a beautiful deadly vixen,” Ryder chuckled and I shrugged.
“I’m just giving them a small taste of the medicine they fed me.”
John nodded, “I’ll get right to it then.”
When John left, Ryder pulled me up and stared at me seriously.
“What?” I asked him.
“When are you going to marry me, Darling?” he asked me.
I felt a strange fear creep into my heart as my heartbeat increased.
Ryder noticed the change in me and he placed a hand on my back.
“I don’t mean to pressure you, Darling, I’m just genuinely curious,” Ryder said in an apologetic
tone.
“I… I’m sorry I don’t think I’m ready, Ryder. Initially I wanted to marry you to spite Jack and get away from him. But spending time with you since I arrived I realized I genuinely like you and I wanna spend the rest of my life with you on my terms and not to spite anyone,” I confessed.
I bowed my head in shame. I was certain Ryder would start acting cold toward me. I just confessed I wanted to use him only for revenge earlier.
But instead he tilted my chin and smiled at me, “I’m so glad you’ve told me how you feel, Darling. I’m willing to wait for you when you’re ready. I’ve been waiting for three years already. A few more years is worth it.”
My eyes were filled with tears as I hugged him, sniffling on his body.
“Oh Ryder,” I cried, “Why didn’t I marry you all those years ago? I’m so stupid.”
Ryder kissed my tears away, cupping my cheeks, “Don’t say such things about yourself, love, you’re not stupid. You’re the most beautiful, brilliant and talented woman I’ve ever had the honor of being with.”
His words brought more tears to my eyes as I sobbed in his arms.
The tears spilled fast, hot, and ugly. I clung to him like I’d drown without him. Every breath the loss of my baby, my womb, my freedom, trembled as memories clawed out of my chest my name.
wept for every version of myself I’d buried.
–
And Ryder? He held me like he had all the time in the world.
I don’t know how long I cried in his arms. I cried for what would have been if I had agreed to marry Ryder earlier.
Ryder didn’t stop whispering sweet words in my ears.
He rubbed circles around my back and he just let me cry. “Let it all out, Darling. Everything is fine now,” he whispered. Finally, I stopped crying. Ryder kissed away my tears again. “Thank you so much,” I choked out.
Ryder pressed a finger to my lips and shook his head, “Don’t ever thank me for doing what I should be doing, Darling. You deserve the entire world and I will make sure you get it.”
There was a soft knock on the door just as John came inside. He stared at me and Ryder and frowned.
“Are you alright, Gwen?” he asked.
Ryder frowned, “What do you mean? I’d never hurt her!”
John seemed uncomfortable, “Well, she’s crying and you’re not.”
‘It’s not my fault women’s emotions are unpredictable,” he groaned.
I burst into laughter, “I’m fine, John.”
Ryder scowled at John who gave him a satisfied smirk before speaking.
‘I just found out that Cara’s parents just purchased the orphanage you grew up in, Gwen,” John informed me.
I frowned, “Why? What do they want with the orphanage?”
‘It seems their missing daughter grew up in that orphanage and they’re looking for her,” John answered.
—
Ryder sat up straighter. “Wait missing daughter? Cara isn’t their only daughter?”
–
—
Rachel disappeared when
John shook his head. “Cara’s adopted. The biological daughter she was five. School fire. No bodies recovered. She was presumed dead until recently.”
I didn’t hear the rest of what they said.
The moment John mentioned the orphanage, something sharp twisted in my gut. My vision swam. I saw flashes I couldn’t place –
