Chapter 165: Die carefully

Chapter 167

Ryan's POV

The door to my room was locked from the outside. I tried the handle again, hoping I was somehow mistaken, but it didn't move.

"Mom!"

No answer.

I kicked the door once. "Mom!"

A few seconds later, I heard her heels approaching from the hallway. The lock clicked, and the door opened. She stood there calmly, as if she hadn't just locked her own son inside his room.

I stared at her. "Are you serious?"

She didn't answer immediately. She simply walked inside and closed the door behind her.

"You're going to stay here until I tell you otherwise."

I laughed bitterly. "You can't keep me locked up."

She looked at me with a strange calmness. "Try me."

My jaw tightened. "I hate you."

"I know."

She walked toward the window and pulled the curtains together. "You've always hated me whenever I didn't give you what you wanted."

"This isn't about what I want."

"Then what is it about?"

"Eliot is dead."

Her expression didn't change. "And?"

I stared at her. "And you expect me to sit here like nothing happened?"

"That's exactly what you're going to do."

I stepped closer to her. "You've destroyed everything."

She gave me a cold smile. "Ryan, you're only seeing a small part of what I'm capable of. Consider it the tip of the iceberg."

I clenched my fists. "What are you threatening me with?"

"I'm warning you." She turned to face me. "You'd better behave yourself until after the election."

I scoffed. "What if I don't?"

Her smile disappeared. "Then you'll discover that I can be like a white mouse that eats its own offspring just to survive."

I stared at her. For the first time, I understood that she wasn't joking. She was willing to destroy me—her own son—all for that stupid election.

"I hate you," I repeated.

"I know."

"You don't even care."

"I care about results."

"Not me."

She shrugged. "You're not the only thing in my life."

I turned away from her, unable to stand looking at her face.

She continued speaking. "You should actually be grateful."

I turned around. "Grateful for what?"

"For saving your ass."

I laughed. "I never asked you to save me."

"You didn't have to."

"I don't need your help."

She scoffed. "You would be sitting in a cell right now if I hadn't stepped in."

"I never begged you."

"I know."

"Then don't act like I owe you anything."

She stared at me. "You don't owe me."

"Good."

"I didn't do it for you."I paused as she walked closer. "I did it because your scandal could affect my election."

My chest tightened. Of course. It was always about her.

"My son gets accused of running over a child, and your first thought is your election?"

"Of course." She didn't even hesitate. "Do you know what would happen if the public believed you were responsible? Everything I've built would collapse."

I shook my head. "You're sick."

"Maybe." She sat down on the edge of the bed. "But I'm not stupid."

I looked away.

She continued, "That's why you're going to help me fix this."

"How?"

"You'll date Cassidy."

I immediately turned toward her. "No."

"You haven't even heard the rest."

"I don't care."

"You're going to start appearing with her in public. Let people see you together and let the media speculate."

I laughed. "You want me to fake a relationship?"

"I want you to create a distraction."

"And marriage?"

She smiled. "Even better."

I stared at her. "You want marriage rumors?"

"Yes."

"With Cassidy?"

"She's suitable."

I shook my head. "I'm not marrying her."

"I didn't say you were getting married tomorrow."

"Then what exactly do you want?"

"I want people talking about you and Cassidy instead of the accident."

I swallowed as she stood up.

"Once the rumors begin, your image will change. You'll become the young man who's finally settling down, not the reckless boy accused of destroying a child's life."

My stomach twisted. "You don't care about the truth."

"The truth doesn't win elections."

I looked at her in disbelief. "And what happens to the little girl?"

She was silent.

"What happens to Eliot?"

Still nothing.

"You ruined his life."

"He's already dead."

The words hit me like a slap. I stepped backward. "You really are heartless."

She shrugged. "Call me whatever you want."

I turned toward the window. I couldn't breathe properly, and the room suddenly felt too small. I wanted to get out. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to be anywhere she wasn't.

"Ryan."

I didn't respond.

"You're going to do what I said."

I kept staring through the glass. "I won't."

"You will."

"No."

She sighed. "Don't make this difficult."

I laughed bitterly. "You've already made my entire life difficult."

She didn't answer. I looked at the window again. Then something inside me snapped. I opened it.

My mother immediately frowned. "What are you doing?"

I climbed onto the window ledge.

"Ryan."

I looked down. The ground was far below. My heart was pounding, but for once, I didn't care. Maybe this was the only way to escape her. Maybe if I disappeared, she wouldn't be able to control me anymore.

"Ryan, get down."

I shook my head. "You said I should get my life together."

"I did."

"I don't want this life."

"Don't be stupid."

I placed one foot farther toward the edge. She suddenly rushed toward me.

"Ryan!"

I looked at her. "You said I was a problem, right?"

She froze. "Get down."

"Maybe you won't have to worry about me anymore."

"Ryan, don't."

I smiled bitterly. "You can have your election."

I was about to move when her voice suddenly changed.

"Fine."

I paused.

She stared at me. "If you're determined to die, go ahead."

I looked at her.

"But think about Eileen first."

My body froze.

She continued, "Do you think she'd be happy?"

I swallowed. "What are you talking about?"

She walked closer to the window. "You know what happens to people who get too close to you."

My fingers tightened around the window frame. "Eileen will be fine."

"Are you sure?"

She smiled coldly. "After all, she can die the same way the little girl did."

My heart stopped. "Don't."

"And Tyler too can die from jumping from a four-storey building."

I turned toward her sharply. "Don't you dare mention her."

She raised an eyebrow. "You see?"

I climbed down from the ledge, breathing heavily.

"You care."

I stared at her with hatred burning through me.

"You'd better think twice before acting stupidly again."

I stepped away from the window, my hands trembling. She had won—not because she was stronger than me or because I wanted to obey her, but because she knew exactly where to hurt me.

Eileen

She knew that as long as Eileen was alive, I would always have something to lose.

My mother walked toward the door. "Get some rest."

She opened it. "And think about Cassidy."

I didn't answer.

The door closed behind her, and I stood there staring at it. Then I slowly slid down against the wall.

My chest felt heavy. I hated my mother. I hated the life she had created for me. But most of all, I hated the fact that she had found the one person who could make me obey her.

Eileen.

I closed my eyes. "If you touch her," I whispered, "I'll destroy everything you've built."

But deep down I know my mother was capable of doing that. Hopefully, she doesn't touch them.