Chapter 6
I never expected Ryan would be waiting for me at the airport when I got back from Stonelark.
The moment I saw him, a wave of awkwardness washed over me. Yet he remained completely unfazed, even greeting Luther with a bright smile.
“Mr. Stone, thank you for looking after Sapphire. I hope she wasn’t too much trouble,”
Luther’s expression remained unreadable, his tone cool and composed. “Not at all.”
Without another word, he headed straight for the sedan parked at the curb.
I watched Ryan rush after him, nearly tripping over himself as he hurried to open the door. The way he fawned over Luther made my skin crawl. Ryan, however, seemed completely at ease with it all. He held his hand above the door, carefully shielding Luther’s head as he got in. “This way, Mr. Stone,” he said.
Even Matthew regarded him with disdain. I stood frozen, wishing I could vanish into thin air.
From inside the car, Luther’s eyes never left me. With a lift of his hand, he beckoned me closer. I straightened my back and walked toward him. Just as I approached, Ryan tugged at my arm and whispered, “Hurry up. Mr. Stone’s a busy man. Don’t waste his time,”
As we stepped off the plane, Luther told me to get some rest and that he would be in touch tomorrow.
Now, noticing Ryan tugging at my sleeve, Luther’s brow tightened. “Ms. Miller, have the materials on Oakspire’s distributors prepared first thing tomorrow morning and deliver them to my office.”
“Yes, Mr. Stone,” I replied quietly, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Ryan lingered behind me while struggling to find the right words.
Luther curled his finger, summoning me closer. I lowered my shoulders as he leaned in, his voice a whisper against my ear. “Why haven’t you divorced him yet? Are you really planning to keep a man like that around forever?”
I was completely caught off guard, unable to answer.
Luther leaned back and gave the driver a subtle nod to drive off.
Behind me, Ryan stood on his tiptoes as he watched the taillights disappear into the distance. When the sedan was out of sight, he turned toward me, curiosity shining in his eyes.
“So, Sapphire, what exactly did Mr. Stone say to you?” he asked.
I looked at him, a mixture of emotions swirling inside. “It’s nothing. Just work stuff. Let’s go.”
“Sapphire, did he mention when I’ll be promoted to regional manager?”
I shook my head. “No, he just said to wait for further notice.”
Ryan seemed hopeful, trusting that Luther would keep his word. “By the way, if Mr. Stone reaches out again, be sure to give him a little push.” Frustrated, I marched to the car and got in. The drive home from the airport lasted over an hour. Not long after we set off, I drifted into sleep.
When we pulled up to the apartment complex, Ryan woke me and went around to the trunk to grab my luggage.
A neighbor passing by spotted me and paused to say hello. “Hey, Sapphire, did you just get back from a business trip?”
I gave a polite smile and nodded. “Yes, Ms. Teller. Are you out with the kids today?”
“Yeah, they couldn’t stand being stuck upstairs and insisted on coming down to play,” Isla Teller sald, her eyes never leaving the playground. “Oh no, someone just fell. Anyway, I should check on them. Catch you later.”
“Alright, Ms. Teller.”
Just then, Ryan came over with my suitcase. He shot a sharp glance at Isla and muttered, “Don’t waste your time with her. She’s always poking around, acting like having kids makes her better than everyone else,”
I stared at Ryan in shock. “She wasn’t trying to show off.”
“Whatever. Let’s just head upstairs,” Ryan said, tugging me toward the building.
Looking back on everything that had unfolded over the past few days, I felt adrift, lost in a sea of uncertainty about what the future held.
My relationship with Ryan was beyond repair, and I was sinking deeper into a stifling, hopeless marriage with him.
I had betrayed him and broken our vows. Even though he pushed me to the brink, the decision was still mine, I never did refuse him.
I was exhausted and just wanted to rest, but Ryan kept tugging at me, firing question atter question without pause. Not once did he offer a word of comfort
Feeling neglected by my own family, I realized I was becoming a scapegoat all over again in this marriage. There were moments when I even wondered if I deserved any happiness at all.
23
All of a sudden, Luther came to mind. He seemed like the only person I could truly count on these days.
I sank wearily onto the couch, listening as Ryan’s questions kept coming. At first, I answered calmly, but then he brought up the subject of getting pregnant
“Why can’t you just get it over with?” he asked sharply.
I pressed my palm to my forehead. Fatigue seemed to overwhelm me. “I don’t know. Please don’t ask me.”
“If I don’t ask you, then who else? You two are always sleeping together….”
His words hit me like a sharp blow. I glared at him, my eyes burning with anger.
Sensing my frustration, Ryan immediately kneeled beside me, taking my hand gently in his. His eyes glistened with regret as he said, “Baby, I know I’ve let you down. It’s all my fault. I’m nothing but a failure. I’m so sorry.”
He buried his face in my lap, tears slipping down as he held me tightly. Slowly, my heart began to soften, and I stroked his back reassuringly.
Don’t say that. He’s always careful with me and uses protection every time.”
Ryan looked up, his eyes shining with unshed tears. He kissed my hand tenderly and whispered, “Baby, I’ll never forget all you’ve done for our family. I owe you everything”
In that quiet moment, his words eased the pain I’d been holding inside for days.
“Come on. Get up,” I said, helping Ryan to his feet.
Noticing the exhaustion etched on my face, Ryan’s eyes welled up again. “Are you tired, Sapphire? Maybe you should lie down for a while. I’ll make us something to eat,” he said gently.
The kindness in his voice softened my resolve. I couldn’t bring myself to be harsh anymore.
“That client I met today was tough. I’m honestly exhausted,” I said.
Without a word, Ryan led me to the bedroom and warmed a cup of milk. After I finished drinking, he gently tucked me in and stepped out.
For the first time all day, I finally let myself relax. I had no idea how long I had been asleep. When Ryan woke me, the sky outside was already dark.
Still groggy, I mumbled, “What time is it?”
“Just past 7:00 pm. You should eat something,” Ryan replied softly.
I dragged myself to the table, feeling completely drained. The dishes he made were all my favorites.
“Baby, have some soup first,” he said.
In this home, I never had to lift a finger when it came to chores. It was Ryan’s meticulous care in the everyday things that made me feel cherished—so much so that I found myself leaning on him, unable to let go.
After all, who wouldn’t love being treated like a princess and held gently in someone’s arms?
Seeing how tired I was, Ryan carefully scooped up some soup. He blew on it softly before lifting the spoon to my lips.
“Is it good?” he asked, smiling warmly.
I nodded. “Do you really need to ask? Your soups are always perfect.”
The rich, savory broth warmed my stomach and eased my heart, replenishing my strength little by little.
“Here, try the fish too. I made sure it was cooked perfectly. The meat is tender and full of flavor.”
The worries from the past few days melted away with each bite of this simple, comforting meal, wrapped in the familiar warmth of home. My heart softened along with it.
After all, every family went through rough patches. I just had to hang on a little longer.
“Ryan.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll get pregnant soon I promise.”
Ryan set his spoon down and reached for my hand, his eyes filled with gratitude. “Baby, as long as you believe it, I know we’ll get there.”
As we were talking, the phone rang from the bedroom.
Ryan jumped up without hesitation. “I’ll get it.”
When he returned, a spark of surprise flashed in his eyes. He pointed at the phone and said, “It’s Mr. Stone–he’s calling.”
With that, he put the call on speaker and signaled for me to take it.
I felt a flicker of unease. Despite his usually polished exterior, Luther could be crude around me–sometimes slipping in dirty jokes that left me blushing. I wasn’t sure how Ryan would handle it.
I licked my dry lips and said, “Hello?”
Chapter C
Luther was blunt. “Room 3, The Nook. Be there in half an hour.”
