Because that’s what love was.

Because that’s what love was.
“You’ve been in your room all day, Arielle. What happened?”
Arielle sighed, trying to compose herself. “Nothing, brother. I just need rest.”
Asher leaned forward, his eyes narrowing with concern. “That’s not like you. Come on, tell me what happened.”
Arielle felt tears welling up in her eyes, the weight of the past days pressing down on her. She bit her lip, trying to hold back the flood of emotions. Asher reached out and patted her head gently, his touch comforting yet probing.
“Arielle, what’s wrong? Did something happen? Did someone try to hurt you?”
Arielle’s resolve crumbled under his genuine concern. “Brother…”
“I’m here,” Asher said softly, his voice steady and reassuring.
Arielle took a deep breath, her shoulders shaking with the effort to keep her emotions in check. “Ryle… he’s back.”
Asher’s eyes widened in surprise. “Ryle? But we thought he was dead.”
She nodded, tears spilling over her cheeks. “He just showed up out of nowhere. I don’t know what to feel, Asher. I thought I had moved on. I thought I was over him.”
Asher frowned, his brow furrowing with confusion and concern. “Did he say where he’s been all this time?”
“He said he couldn’t come back, that he was injured and didn’t want to endanger me. But it doesn’t make sense, Asher. Why now? Why after all these years?” Arielle’s voice broke, her frustration and pain evident.
Asher squeezed her hand gently. “It’s okay to feel confused and hurt, Arielle. It’s a lot to process. But you don’t have to go through this alone. We’ll figure it out together.”
Arielle shook her head, her voice breaking. "I don’t know… I just don’t."
Asher leaned closer, his concern palpable. "That’s okay. Does Kyler know?"
Arielle wiped her eyes, a look of conflict crossing her face. "Kyler doesn’t know about my relationship with Ryle, but he was there when Ryle came."
Asher nodded, understanding the complicated web of emotions she was ntangled in. "We’ll take it one step at a time, okay?"
Outside the Reynolds estate, Kyler sat in his car, his mind a storm of conflicting emotions. He had been there the whole day, unable to bring himself to leave. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles white from the pressure. He had always been decisive, a man who faced challenges head-on, but now he was paralyzed by fear.
Fear of losing her.
Kyler's eyes kept drifting towards the house, hoping to catch a glimpse of Arielle, to reassure himself that she was okay. The uncertainty gnawed at him, a relentless ache that wouldn’t let go. He wanted to be with her, to hold her, to tell her that everything would be alright. But he was terrified.
For the first time in his life, he was scared of the future, scared of what it held for him and Arielle.
He had always known there were parts of her past she hadn’t shared, shadows that lingered in her eyes when she thought no one was looking. But he had never pressed her, respecting her privacy and trusting that she would tell him when she was ready. Now, those shadows had taken form, and he was face-to-face with the reality he had feared.
Ryle. The man from her past. The man who still held a piece of her heart.
Kyler’s mind raced with questions and doubts.
What did Ryle’s return mean for them?
Did Arielle still have feelings for him?
Was this the end for them?
He hated feeling this way...
uncertain..
vulnerable...
powerless...
Arielle needed space, and she needed to come to terms with her emotions without feeling pressured by him.
So he stayed outside, in the shadow of the house that now seemed like a fortress keeping him away from the woman he loved. He watched as the light in her room flickered, imagining her sitting there, lost in thought, her beautiful face etched with pain.
The thought of her suffering alone broke his heart.
Kyler took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He needed to be strong for her, to be her anchor in this storm. He closed his eyes, remembering the moments they had shared—the laughter, the quiet conversations, the promises made in the stillness of the night. He couldn’t lose her. Not now, not ever.
In the end, he knew what he had to do. He would wait. He would give her the time and space she needed, but he wouldn’t leave. He would be there, right outside her door, ready to catch her if she fell, ready to hold her when she needed it.
Because that’s what love was.
'It was staying, even when it hurt. It was fighting for each other, even when the battle seemed impossible.'
Kyler leaned back in his seat, his eyes never leaving the house. He would wait for her, as long as it took. Because Arielle was worth it. She was everything. And he would fight for her, no matter the cost.