Chapter 12%
I woke up to the scent of expensive cologne and the warmth of unfamiliar silk sheets. My body felt heavy, weighed down by exhaustion and emotions I couldn’t yet process. My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dimly lit room. The sleek, modem design, the dark wooden furniture, and the faint sound of distant voices–it all clicked.
I was in Ryan’s house.
And then, it hit me.
The scandal. The headlines. The betrayal.
Everything came crashing down again. My chest tightened, and before I could stop myself, tears blurred my vision. A sob escaped my lips as I curled up, hugging my knees.
Almost immediately, the door swung open, and Ryan rushed in, his eyes scanning me with concern. “Kylie.“%
I shook my head, unable to speak. He didn’t say anything else. He just sat on the edge of the bed, pulling me into his arms, his fingers gently stroking my hair. His warmth, his scent–it should have calmed me, but nothing could fix this mess.%
“They’re tearing me apart, aren’t they?” My voice was hoarse.X
Ryan hesitated. “You don’t need to see it. It’ll only–“%
“I want to.” I wiped my eyes, taking a deep breath. “Show me.“7%
He exhaled, clearly reluctant, but he knew better than to argue. He reached for his phone, pulled up the latest news, and handed it to me.% I shouldn’t have looked.%
“Kylie Gray–the woman who seduced her own stepbrother.”%
Forbidden love or calculated seduction? How one woman destroyed two families.“%
“A mistress in disguise–Ryan Smith’s fiancée has a dark past.“%
Every comment, every article was filled with hate. People were calling me names I didn’t deserve. Some blamed me entirely, while others spun theories about my supposed manipulations. There were even edited photos of Jayson and me, making everything look worse than it already was.
My hands trembled as I scrolled. “They hate me,” I whispered.%
Ryan took the phone from my hands and set it aside. “They don’t know you.” His voice was firm. “They only know what the media wants them to believe.”
I wanted to believe him. But the weight of their words crushed me. I had kept my relationship with Jayson for years and forgotten about it. I was moving on already–trying to make up for what I did. Then, now this? Why?%
Can I not be happy? I guess this is karma. I had known it would come but I never thought it could happen when I already found happiness with Ryan. I knew he wasn’t judging me but what about the people around him??
Right now, I was dragging him to my own mess and it could also ruin him. I didn’t know what to do!?
“Sssh, calm down! I’m here and I will never leave you.”?
I nodded. “I’m sorry… for this mess.”%
He smiled and hugged me. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll help you get through it.
Then, my phone rang. My heart nearly stopped when I saw my mother’s name flashing on the screen.
I hesitated before answering. “Mom?“%
“Where are you?” Her voice was soft, not angry like I had expected.”
The lump in my throat grew. “I… I’m at Ryan’s.“%
A pause. “Are you okay?”
That was it. No yelling. No accusations. Just concern.”
I broke down again, covering my mouth to muffle my sobs. “I’m sorry,” I choked out. “I ruined everything. 1–“% “Stop,” she cut me off gently. “You didn’t ruin anything. You just fell in love. And it’s not your fault, okay?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Dad–“%
“He’s upset. We fought because of this, but… we’ll figure it out.” She hesitated. “Can I stay with you for a while?”
Guilt surged through me. Because of me, she was caught in this mess, too. “Yes,” I whispered. “Of course.”
Ryan, who had been listening quietly, nodded and immediately sent someone to pick her up.
When my mother arrived, I ran into her arms, holding her like I was a child again. She hugged me tightly, smoothing my hair like she used to when I had nightmares. “I’m here,” she whispered. “Don’t worry! Everything will be okay.”
I pulled away, wiping my eyes. “Are you angry?“%
She smiled sadly “I’m just sad that you had to go through this alone.“%
I wanted to say I wasn’t alone, that I had Ryan, but I didn’t.”
Instead, I asked, “What about Jayson?”
Her lips pressed into a thin line “Your stepfather locked him up. He’s not allowed to leave the house. It was affecting our business And he was a bit mad because I was protecting you”
I blinked “What? I’m sorry” I shook my head. “I really don’t know who did this. I swear, Jayson and I were no longer together I ended it
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but then this is karma.”
“Sssh, it’s not your fault.” She hugged me. “Jayson canceled the wedding with Fiona after you left. Fiona didn’t take it well,” she said with a sigh. “I think she was the one who revealed everything.”>
A slow, burning rage crept up my spine. Fiona. That manipulative snake. Of course, she would do everything to ruin me!
“I’m going to ruin her.” My voice was cold, unfamiliar even to myself.”
Ryan, who had been standing beside me, smirked. “Good.”
My mother glanced between us, but she didn’t question it. She knew me well enough to understand I wouldn’t let this slide.
For the next few days, I stayed in Ryan’s house, avoiding the outside world. My mother kept me company, and Ryan was always by my side, shielding me from everything.
But I wasn’t hiding. I was planning. And then, the opportunity came.
One of Ryan’s men returned with news. He handed Ryan a file, and Ryan’s smirk grew wider as he read. “Well, well… looks like Fiona isn’t as innocent as she pretends to be.”
I grabbed the papers from his hands, my eyes scanning the contents.
Fiona–affair with a married man, a well–known fashion director.
A scandalous affair. A powerful name attached to it.
The perfect weapon.
Ryan leaned closer. “She’s attending a major fashion show next week. Imagine if this little secret got out right in the middle of it.””
I met his gaze, a slow smile forming. “Then that’s exactly what we’ll do.“}
136 PM & d
