CHAPTER 104

ELLA'S POV

Ryan's arms were still wrapped tightly around me. At first, I froze, too stunned by the unexpected hug to react. But as the moments ticked by, panic began to set in. This was all wrong - the scent of his perfume, the roughness of his palms across my back, the way his heart hammered against my own. It made my skin crawl in a way I couldn't fully understand.

Slowly, I placed my hands flat against Ryan's broad shoulders and gently pushed. "Ryan, I...I'm sorry, but I can't do this," I murmured, my gaze dropping to the floor.

To my relief, Ryan finally loosened his grip. He stared at me for a long moment before he finally nodded. "I understand."

There was an awkward silence. I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze, instead fixing my eyes on a spot over his shoulder as I cleared my throat. "I think...I think it's best if you leave now," I managed.

"Of course. Thank for that......" He trailed off.

I nodded stiffly unsure of how to respond. As he turned to go, he paused at the