Chapter 185: Sacrifice

Lena’s POV

The house felt quieter after Detective Harper and Daniel left. Neither Ryan nor I spoke for several minutes. The evidence box had gone with them, but the weight of everything we had learned remained in the room. Ryan sat on the sofa with his good arm resting across his lap. He stared at the television without turning it on, and I walked into the kitchen and made two cups of tea because I needed something to do with my hands. When I returned, I placed one mug in front of him.

He looked at it before looking at me. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome,” I whispered.

He wrapped his left hand around the mug but did not drink. “I keep thinking about those emails,” he said.

“I know,” I replied.

“I trusted people who were supposed to protect me.” He muttered.

I sat beside him. “You did not make a mistake by trusting them.”

He let out a slow breath. “It still feels like I did.”

I waited before answering because I wanted him to know I had heard every word. There is a difference between trusting someone and being deceived by them.

He nodded slowly. “I understand that in my head.”

“But not in your heart,” I muttered.

He gave me a weary smile. “You know me too well.”

“I have had a lot of practice,” I whispered.

For the first time since the investigators had left, he laughed. The sound did not last long, but it reminded me that he was still himself. His phone rang on the coffee table; the screen showed a familiar name.

Vanessa

Ryan looked at it for a second. “My agent.”

I nodded. “You should answer.”

He picked up the phone and placed it on speakerphone. “Hi, Vanessa.”

Her voice sounded calm, but I could hear tension underneath it. “Ryan, how are you feeling today?”

“I am healing.” He replied.

“I am glad to hear that.” She said. She paused for a moment. “I wish I were calling with better news.”

Ryan glanced at me. “What happened?”

“There has been a meeting.” She said.

“About what?” Ryan asked.

“About your sponsorships.” She answered.

Ryan’s expression changed immediately. “Which one?”

Vanessa sighed quietly. “North Peak Athletic.”

I recognised the name at once. It had been Ryan’s biggest endorsement deal for years, and the company had built entire advertising campaigns around him.

“What did they say?” Ryan asked.

“They are reviewing your contract.” She said.

Ryan stayed silent.

Vanessa continued carefully. “They are concerned about your recovery timeline.”

Ryan lowered his eyes. “They think I will not play again.”

“They are not saying that.” She said.

“What are they saying?” Ryan asked.

“They believe your injury creates uncertainty.” She replied.

I watched Ryan’s shoulders tense.

“They signed me because they believed in me.” He said.

“They still respect you,” Vanessa said.

“Respect is not the same as keeping a contract,” Ryan muttered.

Vanessa did not argue. “They have asked for a meeting tomorrow.”

Ryan looked at me before speaking again. “I will be there.”

“You do not have to.” She said.

“I do.” He replied.

Vanessa hesitated. “There is something else.”

Ryan closed his eyes briefly. “Go ahead.”

“They want to discuss replacing you as the face of the campaign until you return.” She said.

The room became very still.

Ryan did not answer. I reached over and rested my hand gently on his knee.

Vanessa spoke again. “I know this is difficult.”

Ryan finally found his voice. “It is business.”

“It is.” She said.

“But it still hurts.” He replied.

“I know.” She replied.

After the call ended, Ryan placed the phone back on the table. Neither of us spoke for a while. I knew he was trying to process another loss.

Finally, he looked at me. “Do you know what bothers me the most?”

“What?” I asked.

“It is not the money.” He said.

“I know,” I muttered.

“It is the feeling.” He muttered.

“What feeling?” I asked.

“That everyone starts making plans without you the moment you get hurt.” He muttered.

His words stayed with me. He was not only talking about the endorsement. He was talking about his career. His identity. His place in the world he had worked so hard to build.

“You are still Ryan,” I said quietly.

He smiled without looking convinced. “Today I feel like a patient.”

“You are recovering,” I whispered.

“I know.” He said.

“I also know recovery can make people feel invisible,” I whispered.

He looked at me. “You always know how to comfort people?”

“I have watched my athletic patients go through it.” I leaned back against the sofa. “They stop hearing people ask how they are, and they start hearing others ask when they are coming back.”

Ryan looked down at his sling. “I hate that you are right.”

The doorbell interrupted us.

Ryan frowned. “I am not expecting anyone.”

“I will get it,” I whispered.

When I opened the front door, I found a young courier holding a flat package.

“Delivery for Ryan Kade.”

I signed for it and carried it inside.

Ryan looked at the return label. “It is from North Peak.”

He carefully opened the package with his left hand. Inside was one of the large framed photographs from his latest advertising campaign. He smiled for a brief second before turning it over. A typed note was attached to the back.

Thank you for everything you have done for our brand. We will contact your representatives after tomorrow’s meeting regarding the future of our partnership.

Ryan stared at the words. He remained silent for several seconds, then he looked at the smiling photograph of himself wearing the company’s logo.

“It already sounds like goodbye.” He said.

I moved beside him. “It is not over yet.”

He looked at me. “What if it is?”

Before I could answer, his phone buzzed again.

A message from Vanessa appeared on the screen.

Do not make any decisions until you see the document they accidentally sent me.

Ryan frowned. “What document?”

Vanessa immediately forwarded the file; Ryan opened it. The title filled the screen.

Replacement Athlete Announcement – Scheduled for Release Tomorrow at 9:00 A.M.

Ryan had not even attended the meeting yet.

Someone had already prepared to replace him.

Ryan stared at the screen without moving. I watched his face instead of the document. Disappointment was easy to recognise; this looked different. This was the expression of someone who had expected a fight and had just discovered the decision might already have been made.

He handed me the phone. “Read it.”

I took a slow breath before looking at the document. The first paragraph thanked Ryan for representing the company over the past several years. The second announced that a new athlete would become the face of the campaign while the company entered “a new chapter".

I looked up. “This reads like a press release.”

Ryan nodded. “It does.”

“It is written in the past tense,” I said.

He gave a quiet laugh that carried no humour.

“I noticed.”

I set the phone on the coffee table. “Vanessa said they sent it by accident.”

“They probably meant to send it internally.” He leaned back carefully. “They already have someone else.”

I reached for his hand. “That document is not public.”

"No," he replied.

“It also does not mean the decision is final,” I whispered.

Ryan looked at me. “You are trying to protect my hope.”

“I am trying to protect the truth,” I whispered.

He studied my face for a moment before nodding. “There is a difference.”

“There is,” I muttered.

His phone rang again. This time it was Vanessa on a video call; Ryan accepted it. She appeared on the screen wearing a worried expression.

“I am sorry you saw that document.” She said.

Ryan remained calm. “I would rather know the truth.”

Vanessa nodded. “So would I.” She took a deep breath. “I spoke with someone I trust inside the company.”

Ryan listened without interrupting.

“The marketing department wants to keep you.” She said.

Ryan frowned. “But?”

“The finance department believes your injury makes you too much of a risk.” She said.

Ryan rested his head against the sofa. “So they are arguing.”

“They are.” Vanessa looked directly at him. “I also learnt something important.”

“What?” He asked.

“The meeting tomorrow is not really about your injury.” She said.

Ryan’s eyebrows lifted. “What is it about?”

“They want to know whether you plan to challenge the team over those hidden medical reports.” She said.

The room fell silent.

I felt my stomach tighten.

Ryan looked at me before turning back to the screen. “They know about the investigation.”

“They do.” She replied.

“How?” Ryan muttered.

Vanessa shook her head. “I do not know.” She hesitated. “Ryan, filing a public complaint could lead some sponsors to withdraw, as they may wish to avoid being associated with a legal battle.”

Ryan was quiet for several seconds. “And if I stay silent?”

“You will probably keep the endorsement.” She replied.

I stared at the screen. The choice sounded cruel.

Ryan looked down at his sling. “They are asking me to choose.”

Vanessa nodded sadly. “They are.”

“Between protecting my career…” He paused.

“…and protecting the truth.”

Nobody spoke.

Finally, Ryan looked at me. “What would you do?”

I answered honestly. “I cannot make that decision for you.”

“I know.” He said. “But I want to hear your thoughts.”

I held his gaze. “If someone hid your medical records, they could do it again.”

Ryan nodded slowly.

“And the next player might not be as lucky,” I muttered.

He looked out the window. “I keep thinking about the rookies, the ones who trust everyone.” He rubbed his forehead with his left hand. “I was one of them once.” He looked back at Vanessa. “If telling the truth costs me this endorsement…” He stopped.

Vanessa waited.

Ryan finished quietly. “Then maybe it was never worth keeping.”

Vanessa smiled for the first time during the call. “I hoped you would say that.”

Just as the call ended, my phone vibrated.

It was a message from Detective Harper.

Do not leave the house tomorrow morning. We intercepted another threat. This one mentions the sponsor meeting by name.