Chapter 109 109
RYAN
It was tonight.
I had been telling myself that all day, like if I repeated it enough, it would start to feel normal. Like my heart wouldn’t be beating this fast, like my hands wouldn’t feel slightly unsteady every time I thought about seeing her again.
Emily.
And Zara.
This night, I was going to bring them back. I was going to end whatever distance had built up between me and Emily, because I was honestly tired of it.
Tired of not knowing where I stood, tired of feeling like I was chasing something that should have already been mine.
I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my suit as I stared at my reflection, trying to convince myself I was ready.
I looked fine, more than fine actually, but it didn’t matter because this wasn’t about appearance.
This was about her.
“Get it together, Ryan,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.
My phone buzzed on the table, and I grabbed it immediately. The driver was there.
Of course he was.
There was no more time to think.
I grabbed my jacket and headed out.
The car Garrett had sent was exactly what I expected. Black, clean, quiet, the kind of car that made everything feel serious.
I slid into the backseat and leaned back as we drove off, watching the city lights flash past the window. But I barely noticed any of it because my mind was somewhere else.
With Emily.
With Zara.
My chest tightened at the thought of my daughter.
I hadn’t held her enough, hadn’t been there the way I should have been, and that truth sat heavily in my chest.
I exhaled slowly.
That night was going to change that.
It had to.
When we finally pulled up to the estate, I already knew it wasn’t going to be simple.
The place was massive, the kind of massive that didn’t even make sense.
The gates alone were intimidating, and security was everywhere.
“Wow…” I muttered under my breath as I stepped out of the car.
This was the kind of place that reminded you not everyone played on the same level.
But I hadn’t come all that way to be scared.
I walked up to the entrance, keeping my expression calm even though my heart had started beating faster.
They checked my name, scanned my invite, and for a second, I thought they might stop me.
But then they let me in.
Just like that.
Inside, everything felt controlled. Too perfect. Too polished.
People were dressed like money didn’t even matter to them, like this was just normal life.
I hated it immediately.
Because Emily was somewhere in that room, and I had no idea what I was walking into.
I was led to the VIP section, and that surprised me.
I glanced around at the people seated near me, and it was obvious they were important.
I shook my head slightly.
Garrett really had connections like that?
I sat down, but I wasn’t relaxed, not even close. My eyes kept moving around the room, searching.
Looking for her.
And then I saw them.
Vivian Cavendish walked in first, and I didn’t need anyone to tell me who she was. The way she carried herself said everything.
Power.
Control.
The entire room shifted when she walked in.
And beside her—
Two girls who looked almost the same.
For a second, it threw me off, but then I realized.
Emily.
And the other girl.
But even with the resemblance, my body reacted instantly to one of them.
Her.
My Emily.
And then I saw Zara.
Everything else faded.
My chest tightened so hard it almost hurt as I leaned forward slightly, my eyes locked on her.
My daughter.
She was in Emily’s arms, small and calm, like she didn’t even know how much she meant to me.
“That’s my baby…” I whispered.
I couldn’t even look away.
They made their way to the stage, and the entire room went quiet.
Vivian stepped forward like she owned the place, like everyone there was just watching her world.
“I want to make an announcement,” she said.
Her voice was calm, but it carried across the room.
“My granddaughter, who was taken from us, has finally returned.”
There were murmurs around me, people reacting, whispering, but I didn’t hear any of it.
I was just looking at Emily.
She looked different.
Not just in appearance, but something about her felt off.
Before I could figure it out, Vivian spoke again.
“And soon, her place in this family will be fully secured,” she said.
Something in my chest tightened.
“And her engagement will be announced.”
Everything stopped.
My brain didn’t even process it at first.
Engagement?
What?
I blinked once, then again, like maybe I had heard wrong.
But I hadn’t.
My grip on the glass in my hand loosened without me realizing it, and it slipped, falling straight to the floor.
The sound was loud.
Too loud.
The glass shattered, and suddenly, all eyes were on me.
Including hers.
Emily turned, and the moment her eyes met mine, everything felt real in the worst way.
“Ryan?” she said.
Her voice was soft, but I heard it clearly.
There was shock on her face.
Panic too.
A waitress rushed toward me, asking if I was okay, but I barely registered her. “I’m fine,” I said quickly. “Sorry.”
She nodded and called someone to clean it up.
I stood up immediately, my chest tight, my head spinning.
I couldn’t stay there.
I turned and walked out, fast, not caring who was watching.
The moment I stepped outside, I finally felt like I could breathe.
The air felt different.
Lighter.
“Damn…” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.
What had just happened?
Engagement?
Emily?
It didn’t make sense.
None of it made sense.
I was still trying to process everything when I turned and bumped into someone.
“Sorry,” I said quickly.
The guy looked at me and smiled slightly. He looked like he was in his late thirties, calm, like nothing really shook him.
“It’s fine,” he said. “A bit overwhelming in there, right?”
“Yeah,” I replied shortly.
“You here for the party?” he asked.
“Something like that,” I said.
He nodded. “Same. I’m here to see my fiancée.”
I froze for half a second.
Fiancée?
Something about that didn’t sit right with me at all.
But I didn’t wait to ask questions.
“Congrats,” I said quickly, already stepping past him.
I didn’t have time for small talk.
This whole thing was already a mess.
I started walking away, my jaw tight.
This had been a mistake.
That was the only thing running through my head.
I had come all that way just to stand there and watch her—
“No,” I muttered, stopping suddenly.
No.
I wasn’t leaving like that.
I couldn’t.
Not without talking to her.
Not without seeing my daughter.
I took a breath, about to turn back, when I heard it.
A voice.
Soft.
Familiar.
“So you’re leaving without saying hi to her?”