Chapter 4

The room she entered felt different from the rest of the house. It was smaller, almost forgotten, with dusty furniture and a faint musty smell. The walls were lined with shelves, cluttered with old books, trinkets, and photographs.

She froze when she thought she saw something move near her feet. She looked down, her heart racing. A shadow? A mouse?

Whatever it was, she instinctively stepped back, the movement causing a small creak in the floorboards.

That was when she heard a sharp intake of breath.

Her eyes snapped to the far corner of the room, where Ryan was standing. His broad shoulders were tense, his back slightly turned as he held something in his hands.

“ Ryan? ” she said softly, her voice breaking the silence.

He turned quickly, his expression startled, almost vulnerable. The sudden movement caused him to drop what he was holding—a picture frame.

The crash of glass shattering on the floor echoed in the stillness.

Ryan’s eyes darted to the broken frame, then back to her. His face was a mix of emotions—anger, surprise, and something she couldn’t quite place.

“ Amelia, ” he said, his voice low and sharp.

She took a step back, her heart pounding as she tried to process what she’d just walked into.

Amelia felt her heart race as Ryan’s sharp eyes bore into her. She had to get out of this room before things got even more awkward.

“ I—I’m sorry, ” she stammered, glancing at the shattered picture frame on the floor. “ I didn’t mean to intrude. I… I have a class to attend. ”

Without waiting for a response, she placed the breakfast tray on a nearby table and bolted toward the door, her steps unsteady but swift. She could feel Ryan’s gaze following her, but she didn’t dare look back.

As soon as she was out of sight, she broke into a near run, heading straight for her room. The mansion’s hallways blurred together as her pulse pounded in her ears. Once inside her room, she yanked her backpack off the desk, slung it over her shoulder, and hurried out. Her class didn’t start until 8 a.m., but she couldn’t bear to stay in the house a second longer.

The early morning air was crisp and cool as she stepped outside, walking briskly to her car. Her fingers fumbled as she unlocked it, and she slid into the driver’s seat, letting out a shaky breath.

“ Get a grip, Amelia, ” she muttered to herself as she started the engine and pulled out of the driveway.

By the time she arrived at campus, the tension in her chest had eased slightly. The university grounds were mostly empty this early, and the quiet gave her a moment to collect herself. She found a shaded bench near the lecture hall and sat down, trying to push the morning’s events out of her mind.

But it was impossible.

Ryan’s startled expression, the way he had been holding that picture frame so tightly, played on a loop in her head. Who was in that photo? she wondered.

Was it someone from his past? A lost love? A family member?

She shook her head, trying to banish the intrusive thoughts. It wasn’t her business. She had no right to pry into his life, especially after barging into that room uninvited.

“ You’re a pain in the ass, girl, ” she muttered to herself, tapping her forehead lightly in frustration.

When the lecture hall doors opened, Amelia joined the trickle of students making their way inside. She found a seat near the middle, pulling out her notebook and trying to focus as the room filled.

By the time Mrs. Shawn, her psychology lecturer, arrived and began the session, the classroom was quiet and attentive.

But Amelia’s mind wasn’t.

Her thoughts drifted back to Ryan, to the intensity of his gaze and the mystery surrounding that picture. She doodled absentmindedly in her notebook, completely missing the first few minutes of the lecture.

She whispered to herself again, “ Amelia, ” and added clearly, “ you’re a pain in the ass. Focus! ”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but in the silence of the room, it carried just enough for everyone to hear.

The sound of giggles rippled through the class, and Amelia froze, her eyes wide with horror.

“ Excuse me? ” Mrs. Shawn said, looking directly at her.

Amelia’s cheeks turned crimson as every pair of eyes in the room turned her way. “ I—uh— ” she stammered, struggling to form a coherent sentence.

“ Did you just call me a pain in the ass? ” Mrs. Shawn asked, raising an eyebrow in stunned disbelief.

“ No! No, no, no! ” Amelia said quickly, waving her hands in panic. “ I was talking to myself. I swear! ”

The room erupted in laughter, and Amelia wanted to melt into her seat.

Mrs. Shawn sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “ Let’s keep the self-commentary to a minimum, shall we? Some of us are trying to learn. ”

“ Yes, ma’am. I’m so sorry, ” Amelia mumbled, sinking lower into her chair.

The laughter subsided, and the class resumed, but Amelia couldn’t focus. Her mind replayed the embarrassing moment over and over, along with the morning’s encounter with Ryan.

Great. Now I’ve managed to make a fool of myself twice in one day, she thought bitterly.

She scribbled halfhearted notes in her notebook, hoping to at least look productive. But the weight of her curiosity about Ryan lingered. Who was he holding onto so tightly in that photograph?

The question gnawed at her, and despite her best efforts to concentrate, she couldn’t shake it.

The rustle of chairs echoed through the room, signaling the end of the class, pulled Amelia out of her thoughts. She quickly gathered her things, eager to escape before anyone decided to bring up her earlier outburst. Her cheeks were still burning with embarrassment.

As she stepped out into the hallway, she took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering humiliation. She adjusted the strap of her bag and headed toward her next class, keeping her head low to avoid catching anyone’s attention.

But she didn’t make it far.

“ Gotcha! ” a familiar voice squealed.

Before Amelia could react, arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug.