Chapter 91
Outside the door, the faint voice of the maid interrupted my thoughts, calling for us to join everyone downstairs for dinner. My pulse slowed as I tucked my phone away, the residual tension from the call making my hands feel oddly cold.
Lirian’s gaze lingered on me for a beat, his hand lightly pressing against my shoulder in a steadying gesture, as though he could sense the ripple of worry that Zane’s words had left behind.
As we made our way downstairs, I was surprised to find Ryan and Ethan already seated at the dining table, their expressions stiff, a strange, heavy silence stretching across the room. Ryan’s gaze flickered to me as soon as we entered, and he stood up, almost as if on impulse.
“You haven’t left yet?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral, though the sight of him made
shoulders tense.
my
“I… I wanted to talk to you,” Ryan replied, his gaze darting from Lirian to me, lingering on our intertwined hands. There was a glint of something unresolved in his eyes.
I held back a sigh, glancing at him calmly. “If there’s something you need to say, you can say it here.” I sensed Lirian beside me, his presence a quiet but unmistakable warning.
Ryan seemed to hesitate, then drew a deep breath. “I broke up with Linda.” His words were blunt, almost defiant, as if he expected a reaction from me.
I felt a flicker of irritation at his assumption that this was something I hadn’t already known. “I know,” I said, shrugging. “Linda’s moved on pretty quickly. She’s been hanging around Arman lately. I saw him picking her up from school in his limo. They even kissed in front of the campus.”
Ryan’s face darkened, hurt flashing across his eyes. It was clear Linda’s departure had wounded his pride more than he’d ever admit. After a beat, he managed to say, “I won’t ever get back with her.” He clenched his jaw, a desperate determination settling on his features.
“Sophia, let’s be together.”
A taut silence filled the room as his words settled. Lirian’s hand tightened around mine, his hold like. steel. I could feel the barely contained possessiveness radiating from him, a silent promise to shield
e from anyone daring to intrude.
Across t the table, Ethan dropped his spoon with a loud clatter, his mouth slightly agape, watching the exchange with a flicker of interest and incredulity. All eyes were now on me, waiting for my answer.
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Chapter 91
Ryan’s gaze was steady, expectant, almost certain I would say yes. But I took a breath, letting the silence linger, my response slow and deliberate. “Who are you to ask that of me?”
Ryan’s face faltered, as though he hadn’t expected such a blunt refusal. My tone was cold as I continued, “My brother loves and cherishes me. In his eyes, I deserve the best and nothing less.” I raised my hand, the one held securely in Lirian’s, and added with quiet pride,
“You lost badly to Lirian at the ball game, and he’s even surpassing you in grades. And unlike you, he loves me genuinely–not to use me as a tool to make someone else jealous.”
Lirian’s gaze softened, his hold on my hand loosening as he looked at me, his eyes gleaming with pride and affection. He was visibly moved by my words, his expression showing the vulnerability he rarely allowed anyone to see.
Turning back to Ryan, I finished with a steady gaze, “So tell me, why should I be with you? What can you offer that Lirian doesn’t already give me, effortlessly and with all his heart?”
Everyone at the table seemed to hold their breath, waiting for Ryan’s reaction. Even Ryan looked taken aback, the confidence draining from his face as the reality of my words struck him. He glared at me, hurt and anger mingling as he blurted out,
“If you wanted to reject me, you could’ve just said so without making up excuses!”
let out a sigh, settling down at the dining table. “If that’s what you think, Ryan, it’s no one’s fault but your own.” My tone was calm, though there was an edge of finality in my words. “You’re choosing to see it that way because it’s easier to blame me than to look at your own actions.”
Ryan’s fists clenched at his sides, his gaze stormy and defiant. “Fine,” he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. “Wait for me, Sophia. I’ve been working on something–a deal–and soon, I’ll prove to you that I’m the one you should be with.”
There was something dark, almost unsettling in his voice–a tone laced with a dangerous. determination that made me uneasy. Silently, I focused on him, activating the mental connection that allowed me to hear his hidden thoughts.
The Alpha a Salastitute Lina. A Heart Claimed. A Soul Reborn
