Chapter 14

The tension in the air was palpable as Ryan held his phone tightly in his hand, Nora's voice echoing through the receiver. He had never been working to reclaim the plantation but concentrating on plotting against Ned's true nature, but the weight of his responsibilities had begun to wear him thin. Fatigue and stress had eroded his patience, leaving him on edge.

Nora's voice trembled with a mix of hope and anticipation as she asked the question that had been burning within her for weeks. "Ryan, have you reclaimed the plantation? Have we taken back what's rightfully ours?"

Ryan's jaw tightened, the exhaustion and pressure building inside him like a volcano ready to erupt. The frustration that had been simmering beneath the surface finally broke free, overriding his usual calm demeanor. "Nora, for once, can you just mind your own business?" he snapped, his voice laced with bitterness.

The words hung in the air, heavy with a mixture of shock and hurt. Nora was taken aback by the veno