I only answered calmly, "Okay." My quiet compliance made Ryan frown, frustration simmering beneath the surface. He grabbed my wrist, his grip a little too tight. "You are the reason Olivia's condition flared up again, and now you are acting like this. What exactly are you trying to prove?" I looked up and met his eyes. "This is your house. If you want someone to live here, do I have the right to say no?" He froze. His hold slackened, uncertainty flickering in his eyes, as if words hovered just out of reach. Then, Olivia's voice came from behind him. "Ryan, I should leave. I do not want you and Emma to fight because of me." She reached out and lightly tugged Ryan's sleeve. Ryan took her hand at once. "Do not worry. As long as I am here, no one will make you leave." He gave me a warning look, then carried Olivia upstairs. … The next day, sunlight still clinging to my skin, I stepped inside and found Ryan waiting in the living room. His gaze locked onto mine, hea
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