جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 30

“Yes,” Mrs Benett said quickly, settling in more comfortably. She waved over the waitress, ordered her breakfast like we were having brunch with girlfriends, and then turned to me again.“I’ve been looking for you. Because I know I made a mistake yesterday. I should’ve said something else and handled it differently. The truth is... I’ve always seen you as a strong person, Monique. So strong. I never thought… you’d find out that way. But once everything was out there, I figured it was better if you knew it all. You were already angry, already talking about your father’s money, about leaving Ryan.”I narrowed my eyes.“I panicked,” she said. “I was scared. Scared you’d walk away from him with nothing. Monique, you don’t have anyone... All alone in this cruel world.”She tried to reach for me, to place a hand gently on mine like I was some child, but I leaned away.She sighed again, this time with that annoying, disappointed tone like I was being unreasonable.“Monique,” she said, almos

When we got to the house, the driver stepped out and opened our doors. I hesitated for a moment, lingering behind as Mrs. Bennett strode confidently toward the entrance. Something in me resisted stepping over that threshold like I was walking back into a place where I no longer belonged.But I forced myself to and followed her inside. We stepped into the living area, and for some reason, I felt a wave of relief when I saw that it was empty. No, Lydia. No, Mr. Bennett. No, Ryan. Just silence. Peaceful, uncomfortable silence.“I’ll show you to your room,” Mrs. Bennett said, already heading down the hallway.I trailed her as we ascended the staircase, moving through the house like a guest and a stranger. She led me to a guest room, the door opening with a soft click. It's funny how I had never spent a night here. Not for a single day... Is that weird?“I’m sure you want to relax,” my mother-in-law said, her voice sugary sweet. “So I’ll let you be for a few minutes. I’ll get someone to co

My body went cold. And just like that, the warmth of the moment shattered.“Get away from her,” Ryan growled.I quickly stepped back, untangling myself from Mr. Smith’s arms. My heartbeat spiked as I turned to face the man I once trusted with my whole life. But he wasn’t the majestic protector I’d once seen. He was fizzing with rage, his suit wrinkled, his face flushed with fury.He looked like a storm ready to tear everything down.And in that moment, I had never hated the sight of him more than I did now.“Ryan…” I whispered. Or maybe I said it. I don’t know. The word just slipped out.Mr. Smith composed himself quickly, straightening his back, his posture calm and deliberate. “Mr. Bennett,” he said coolly.Ryan stormed toward us, seething. “Get away from my wife,” he snapped. “I told you to stay away from us. What else do you want? A restraining order? Is that what it’s gonna take to keep you away from her?”Mr Smith remained calm. “Ms. Moffat is my client. You can’t keep her away

Ryan was planning something.“Are you okay?” a voice asked gently.I turned to find Mrs. Bennett’s hand on my shoulder. That’s when it hit me again, who I was supposed to be, where I was, how far I’d slipped.“I… I don’t know,” I whispered. “Mr. Smith has always been like a father to me...”A tear forced its way out of me. Not out of performance. Out of pure rage. Grief and Hurt.It felt like Ryan had just struck my actual father. And I couldn’t believe it was him, the man I’d loved for years, the one I thought belonged to me, the man I gave everything to, who had done this. Who was breaking me apart.“It’s okay, darling,” Mrs. Bennett cooed softly. She was always the one who tried to smooth things over. “Ryan is just… frustrated and angry. He’s trying to protect you. Aren’t you, Ryan?”Ryan was red-eyed, still seething. His face was too tense, too hard.“Yes,” he said finally, trying to smooth out his tone, trying to soften his expression. “It’s always been about you.”He stepped clo

The Bennett HouseholdRyan was just leaving Monique’s bedroom when he went downstairs. His teeth were clenched, his mind a storm of thoughts. As he descended, he found his parents already waiting for him in the living area, their eyes watching him closely.His mother was the first to speak.“So? What happened? Is everything okay between you two?”Ryan bit the inside of his cheek and dropped into the nearest chair. His parents took their seats after him, tension filling the room.“What is it? Did she refuse?” his father, Mr. Bennett, asked.Ryan shook his head. “She hasn’t.”“Then what’s wrong?” his mother pressed. “If she didn’t refuse you, why are you looking like that? Why are you acting like that?”“I don’t know,” Ryan muttered, his hands tightening into fists and then relaxing again. “It’s just… there’s something about the way Mr. Smith acted today. He was so confident. And then I found them… embracing.”Mrs. Bennett waved a hand. “I already watched the footage. There was nothing