Chapter 41
Ryan’s expression faltered, his shoulders stiffening as if bracing for a storm.
His voice emerged quiet and broken as he explained, “Jocelyn… I’m sorry. They tried everything. But the injuries… they were too severe. Leo… didn’t make it.“B
The world collapsed around me. My screams tore from my throat, desperate and uncontrolled.
The arief hit me like a tidal wave. dragging me under. drowning me in quilt and agony. My chest ached, my lunas burning as if I could You Wanted Her, Sol Left
3:43 PM
not draw a single Dreams
Leo was gone. The man who had caused me so much pain, the man who had betrayed me so many times, but who ultimately tried to save me… was gone.
His last words, his final smile, all of it the only one who haunted me.
Ryan wrapped his arms around me, his hold protective and unyielding, as if he could somehow shield me from the searing pain.
His own voice cracked, trembling with the weight of his own grief. “I’m here, Jocelyn, I’ll help you through this. We’ll get through this together.”
But his words only made me cry harder. I buried my face against his chest, my sobs tearing through me with a force I could not control.M
And Ryan held me, refusing to let go, his own pain hidden beneath the steady resolve to be my strength.
**
A day later, the tragedy that shattered my life welcomed another devastating blow. Leo’s parents arrived in Melbourne, their faces twisted with grief and fury.”
They had left the US as soon as they received the news–delivered by his parents, because Ryan had been too consumed with looking after me, too afraid to leave me alone in my unstable state.”
But when landed in Melbourne, instead of coming to Donovan’s residence, Leo’s parents stormed into my hospital room, their anguish was a force of nature.}}
His father’s eyes burned with rage as he lunged toward Ryan, seizing his collar and shaking him repeatedly.”
“Give me back my son, you bastard!” Leo’s father roared, his voice raw and feral. “You, how dare you manipulate us like this!“}
Ryan did not fight back. Even when the guards came forward, ready to intervene, Ryan held up a trembling hand to stop them.” He let Leo’s father vent his fury, letting him pour every ounce of grief and anger into his accusations.
Leo’s mother stood behind her husband, her hands trembling violently, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She looked so broken, her shoulders sagging under the weight of the world’s cruelty.”
“My baby… My Leo…” she sobbed, her voice cracking like brittle glass. “How could this happen? Why did it have to be him?”
Their cries tore at my heart, ripping fresh wounds into the already bleeding ache within me.
Despite everything, Leo had saved me in the end. He had made the ultimate sacrifice to protect me.!!
But yesterday, Donovan decided to cremate Leo’s body. They should do it to conceal everything.
As a result, Leo’s parents could not bear to see their son reduced to nothing but ashes. The agony etched into their faces was a testament to their heartbreak.@
But I knew this cremation was necessary–to ensure there would be no further investigation into the cause of Leo’s death.”
Everything related to Ethan was a dark family secret that would never be exposed to the media. It was a shadow cast over the Donovan family and my own, and we all agreed to keep that secret buried forever.”
In the end, Ryan had lied to Leo’s parents, claiming that the one who killed Leo was a Donovan guard.”
He fabricated a story where Leo’s obsession with me never stopped, leading to him nearly hurting me during a failed kidnapping attempt.
Ryan could only say, “I apologize.””
But his apology only seemed to fuel Leo’s father’s rage. His grip tightened on Ryan’s collar, his fists shaking. “Sorry? Your sorry won’t bring my son back! Your sorry won’t fix any of this!“}
Ryan remained silent, his eyes filled with sorrow and guilt. He knew he could never give them the answer they wanted. The answer they deserved.”
The weight of their grief and fury fell entirely on Ryan’s shoulders. I, as the supposed victim, kept my mouth shut and let him take the blame. Because if they ever learned the truth–that Leo had died protecting me from Ethan–things would only worsen.
But originally, if Leo’s parents had not come, we would have quietly held the funeral, said our goodbyes, and let him rest in peace. But their insistence on coming, driven by guilt and rage, had delayed everything.”
The anger in their eyes was a reflection of their own guilt, the remorse of exchanging their son’s happiness for shares. And that he was gone that time, their wealth meant nothing.”
“Give me the ashes,” Leo’s mother finally said, her voice cracking under the strain of her grief. “We will bring him back to the US. There’s no need to hold a funeral here.”
Ryan nodded with quiet acceptance and gestured to his guards to bring the urn.”
When the urn was placed into their trembling hands, fresh sobs broke out, but they no longer aimed their hatred toward anyone. It
was only pain–pure, undiluted pain.}]
Ryan remained by my side, his hand never leaving mine as we watched Leo’s parents walk away. Their tears mingled with the rain that began to pour outside, their figures retreating into the distance, clutching the remnants of their son.“>
They did not offer me an apology nor even glance back. And when they were finally gone, their signatures on the stock return agreement were the only proof they had ever been here.
I released the breath I had been holding.”
Ryan’s arms were already around me, his warmth the only thing keeping me steady.”
Ait you unay: asked, my myers werving as I checked his puuy junes.
Ryan smiled softly, his gaze holding mine with a gentleness that made my chest tighten. “I’m fine. Who should I worry about now, hm?”
For the first time since yesterday’s horror, I found myself smiling, even if only slightly. “I’m sorry, you had to go through all of this for me.”
Ryan shook his head. “Don’t apologize. None of this was your fault.”
We wrapped ourselves in each other’s arms, as if trying to anchor ourselves back to reality. The warmth of his embrace felt like a lifeline, a fragile hope that maybe we could survive this.
Ryan’s voice lowered to a whisper as he pressed his forehead against mine. “So… have you decided?“>
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Chapter 42
