Chapter Nine

The moment Priscilla left the room, Ryan stood there for a few seconds, staring at the door she had disappeared through. He could still feel the tension in the air, and before he could even make sense of what had just happened, he felt Sofia behind him. He turned around slowly, and the moment his eyes landed on her, his expression changed. He pushed her away from him, taking a step back. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry,” Sofia said quickly. “Ryan, I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have come like this. I left, I know I did, but I went back and...”

“You left me.” His voice was quiet, but there was something painful behind it. Sofia fell silent. Ryan stared at her, his jaw clenched as years of buried emotions suddenly came rushing back. “You left me when I needed you the most.”

“Ryan…”

“No.” He shook his head. “Don’t.” He looked away for a moment, trying to get himself together, but he couldn't. Not this time. “I loved you, Sofia.” His voice cracked slightly. “I loved you. I was ready to give up everything because of you. I was ready to walk away from the life I had built, all because I thought you were worth it. And then you left.”

Sofia's eyes filled with tears. “I was scared.”

“You didn't just leave me,” Ryan continued, looking back at her. “You betrayed me. When you found out about my business, you could not handle it. You walked away and left me to deal with everything alone.” He paused, his breathing becoming heavier. “I gave you everything I could, Sofia. Everything. And when things got difficult, you left.”

“I am sorry,” she whispered.

Ryan's expression softened for just a second. “I’m sorry about your brother. I really am. I know losing him broke something in you. But there was nothing I could do. I tried to stay with you, Sofia. I tried to make it work, but you had already decided that you couldn't live this life with me.”

“I lost my brother because of this life,” Sofia said, her voice trembling. “How was I supposed to stay? I lost him, Ryan. I couldn't just pretend everything was fine and continue living like nothing happened.”

Ryan looked at her quietly. He understood her pain more than she probably realized. Maybe that was why he had never truly hated her for leaving. “I know,” he finally said. “And that is why I let you go. I knew you couldn't live this life anymore, and I wasn't going to force you to.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Ryan's eyes narrowed. There was something about her being there that didn't sit right with him. “But why are you here now? And how do you know about Priscilla?”

Sofia hesitated before answering. “I heard you brought a new girl into the house.”

Ryan's face hardened.

“So that's why you came?”

She looked at him for a moment before nodding. “Yes. That is why I came. I heard you had brought someone in after I left, and I wanted to see for myself.”

Ryan let out a slow breath. “And now you've seen her. What exactly do you want?”

Sofia looked toward the hallway. “You know you can't keep her, right?”

Ryan frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“You know what I mean.”

His expression became colder. “Is that what you came here to tell me?”

“Yes.”

Ryan stared at her for a few seconds before looking away. He didn't have the energy to argue with her anymore. “Please leave.”

“Ryan..”

“Just go, Sofia.”

She stood there for a moment, watching him, but eventually she turned and walked away. Ryan didn't watch her leave. He simply stood there, feeling more exhausted than he had felt in a long time. When the door finally closed, he sank into the nearest chair and rubbed a hand over his face.

He didn't understand why he felt so unsettled. Sofia had been a part of his past. Whatever they had shared was over. She had left him years ago, and he had accepted it. So why did he suddenly feel like he had betrayed Priscilla?

There was nothing between him and Priscilla. At least, there shouldn't be. He had only known her for a short while, yet somehow, over the past few days, he had grown attached to her. He liked having her around. He liked the way she spoke to him without being intimidated by him. He liked seeing her slowly become comfortable in his house. And that was exactly what worried him.

He should not be getting attached.

There were too many things Priscilla didn't know. Too many secrets surrounding her and his life. Some things were better left buried, and Ryan knew that allowing himself to get closer to her would only make everything more complicated.

Still, he found himself getting up from the chair.

He walked upstairs and stopped outside Priscilla's room. His hand rested on the doorknob, but he didn't turn it immediately. Then he heard it.

She was crying.

Ryan closed his eyes for a moment.

His first instinct was to walk in. He wanted to sit beside her and explain everything. He wanted to tell her that Sofia meant nothing to him anymore and that she had misunderstood what she had seen. He wanted to tell her that he wasn't choosing Sofia over her.

But he stopped himself.

What was the point?

Priscilla would be leaving soon anyway. Once everything was arranged, she would be gone. Maybe that was better. Maybe letting her leave was the easiest way to make sure neither of them got too attached.

He slowly removed his hand from the doorknob and stood there for another moment, listening to her quiet sobs from the other side of the door. Something inside him told him to go in, but he forced himself to walk away.

He returned to his study and closed the door behind him. He dropped into his chair and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

For a man who was used to controlling almost everything around him, Ryan suddenly felt like he had no control over his own thoughts.

Sofia was back.

Priscilla was leaving.

And somehow, the thought of losing Priscilla bothered him far more than it should have.