Chapter 26%
A choked sob escaped me as I collapsed into Ryan’s embrace, my legs giving out beneath me
Baki ma haldinn oLA AMAÏAst hin shani U
Ryan caught me, holding me against his chest!
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice gentle, but there was a dangerous edge beneath it–one reserved only for those who hurt me.!!
I buried my face into his shoulder, gripping onto his shirt like it was the only thing keeping me grounded.
1.I’m fine,” I gasped between sobs !
Ryan tilted my chin up, his brows knitting together in concem.X
“Breathe, Jocelyn,” he murmured, taking away hat and mask from me.!!
I nodded and fresh tears spilled down my cheeks.
Ryan lifted me into his arms, carrying me bridal–style through the crowd. “I’m sorry I was late.”
I shook my head, “You’re never late, Ryan.”
His grip tightened around me, his warmth shielding me from the chaos behind us. “Let’s go home.”
I nodded
Since that day, I never heard from Leo or Sara again. The truth was I did not care to
I had helped Sara escape Lion’s cage, and in return, she had helped me escape too. We were even.
Instead of lingering in the past, I chose to focus on my future.
Within six months, under Ryan’s unwavering support, I launched my very own photography exhibition in the gallery he bought for me. And in the midst of preparing for my first gallery showcase, I was also preparing for our wedding.
The success of my first photo exhibition was beyond what I had imagined. The gallery was packed, the air buzzing with excitement and admiration.
Bouquets of fresh flowers arrived daily, filling the space with vibrant colors and intoxicating scents.
Congratulatory messages poured in from friends, colleagues, and even strangers who had been moved by my work.
But what made me the happiest was seeing my mother step into the gallery, her eyes shimmering with pride.
She pulled me into a tight embrace, whispering against my hair, “Jocelyn, my darling, look at what you’ve built. Your father would be so proud.”
My throat tightened, emotions welling up inside me. “Thank you, Mom. For everything.”
She smiled, gently cupping my cheek. “You worked hard for this, sweetheart. And you deserve every bit of success.“”
I nodded, trying to keep my tears at bay 3)
For the first time in a long while, my heart felt light. I had built something of my own and finally stepped out of the shadows of my
past.
But, of course, peace never lasted long
The first day of the exhibition was a massive success.
The second day, however, a letter arrived under Leo’s name as a sender!
The moment I saw it, my heart stilled.“⠀⠀
Ryan must have noticed the shift in my expression because he leaned in, his voice low. “Ignore it, Jocelyn.?|
I glanced up at him, uncertainty flickering in my eyes. “You said he was released, nght?”
Ryan’s jaw tensed, “He was. But hes being watched. He won’t come near you again, I made sure of that.”
I took a slow breath, nodding.
I did not want to give Leo space in my life anymore and decided to leave the letter unopened.
However, as I buried myself in the exhibition, pouring my energy into every moment, an anonymous article surfaced online.
A scathing accusation that claimed my photographs were plagiarized–that I had stolen the work of another photographer.
My hands shook as I read the words, my chest tightening with anger and disbelief. Who would do something like this?
And then it hit me.
I rushed to my desk, snatching up the letter I had ignored. But it only contained one sentence.
[Lucy, I hope you are happy with your choice
My grip tightened around the letter. No clue, as if he did not care about me anymore.
But my intuition told me if this thing was still related to him. What was more, the scandal suddenly spread like wildfire, growing more vicious with each passing day.
At first, it was just whispers. But then, baseless accusations lurking in online forums S
A so–called witness emerged, claiming that I had personally admitted to plagiarizing another photographer’s work.{
So, the public who once believed in me, turned against me overnight.3
The same people who had once praised my art were then standing outside my own gallery, waiting for me
Not with smiles, but with anger and eggs
As soon as I stepped out the door, the first egg whizzed past my ear, splattening against the pavement
Then, before another egg could hit me, a strong arm wrapped around me!
Without hesitation, Ryan pulled me into his chest, shielding me completely.
“Shh,” he murmured against my hair. “Don’t look.”
I felt the eggs burst against his back, the wet, sticky mess soaking into his expensive suit.!!
Yet he did not even flinch
His arms tightened around me, his voice low and dangerous.
“I will handle this,” he promised. “I will find out who’s behind this and I will destroy them.”
There was a darkness in his tone, a quiet, lethal fury that sent a shiver down my spine. But all I could do was nod against his chest trying to block out the insults being hurled at me
I had no choice but to temporarily step down from public engagements.
For days, I stayed hidden in Ryan’s mansion, my mother and Ryan’s mother constantly by my side.!
“We believe in you,” Ryan’s mother told me one evening, squeezing my hand tightly. The truth always comes out, my dear,”
My mother nodded, her voice firm.X
“You’ve worked too hard to let this break you, Jocelyn. Just trust that justice will come.”
I let out a slow breath, my eyes stinging
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Days passed, and Ryan worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Until finally, the truth surfaced
Ryan’s investigators uncovered that someone had taken old photographs from my freelance days and altered them, manipulating style to match another photographer’s work.
It was all fabricated. A deliberate attempt to frame me
When the truth came to light, my clients, who had previously backed out, contacted me again, offering apologies and support.
Some even publicly defended me, demanding the real culprit be caught
Then, we caught him. A man, an ordinary nobody, was arrested for spreading false accusations?
I
But when I saw his face, I froze, I did not know him, nor did Ryan.
However, Ryan refused to believe this was just the random act of a bitter stranger
He had seen how the world worked. No one risked going against the Donovan family without reason.
So, he interrogated the man in ruthless, relentless psychological and physical torture way
Ryan did not hold back any second until finally the man cracked.
“Leo!” he coughed out, trembling under Ryan’s cold gaze. “I don’t know him personally, but he’s the one who paid me. That’s all ! know, I swear!“:
Chapter 27%
