Chapter 103 I'm Not Anna
RYAN'S POV
I couldn't go home. The least I could do was stay behind and watch the cleaners as they tried to clean up all the mess that was made by the guests. And then, help to coordinate the hampers that were being sent to each home.
That was the least that I could do for the Quinns. They were the most present family when my father died. And mom would ask me to spend my life making it up to them if she could.
I was more than glad that my mom was present at the party. She got to see everything that happened with Isabel. I didn't have to explain any more why I couldn't get married to her.
I heard footsteps descending from the stairs, and I immediately looked, taking in the sight of Daniel. He looked more than exhausted. The first two buttons of his shirt were undone, and I couldn't even blame him. They had already been through so much.
I didn't know what I would have done if someone I grew up with had betrayed me like that, and still claimed to be right.
“Chill, I'm not Anna,” he said, still trying to crack jokes. I gave him a small smile. He was wrong about the fact that I hoped it was going to be Anna.
“Maybe if you wore a gown, you would look like her.”
“I honestly expected both of you to stand here kissing by the time I came downstairs.”
I would have liked that. Very much.
And I would have done more if she wanted. All she had to do was ask. But now that James had yet again pulled another stunt, I didn't know how much help I could offer.
“She's upstairs. Probably sleeping.”
Daniel rubbed his eyes, I noticed they were red. I could tell that he had been crying. It was the first time I had seen him like that, and I couldn't ignore the tug that I felt in my chest.
I strode over to where he was standing, giving him a manly hug. “Are you okay?” I asked. That was the most asked question that evening.
He gave me a nod, not letting me go. “It's almost like my family is falling apart. And none of this is Anna's fault. But I'm going to hate it if she starts blaming herself for any of this.”
I closed my eyes. “She won't.”
“You didn't see how silent she was when she headed upstairs. How broken she felt when she saw mom and dad cry. She has been part of the family for roughly six years. And all this is happening. The timing is just wrong.”
“Would you like me to take her out?”
He pulled away from the hug immediately. “You would do that?” He asked, and I gave him a small nod. Thankfully, everything that I needed to do at the office could be done on my laptop. And my assistant was there at the office.
“Of course,” I said. “Maybe you should just talk to her.”
He nodded, quickly wiping his face. “I never thought I'd get to see you crying,” I said with a small grin.
“Fuck it,” Daniel said. “I need a drink.”
“You have your training tomorrow though. Are you sure you want to do that?”
He shrugged. “I don't think I care. I've dealt with hangovers countless times. It's nothing new.”
With that, he flung an arm across my shoulder as he led me to their mini bar.
“And Jessica?” I asked, and he shrugged. Daniel and his girlfriend had been through a rough patch ever since the last time that she decided to come over and see his parents. And since that day, things have been weird between them. She always claimed that it was because of the way Isabel talked to her.
“She kept telling me that she wasn't going to come over after Isabel talked to her rudely. And now, I can't even blame her. I always thought people were exaggerating.”
I shrugged. “Well, Isabel is out of the house now. Things can go back to normal.”
He let out a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. “Nothing is going to be normal. I grew up with her. How am I supposed to go about my day, knowing that I won't hear her hair dryer when I walk past her room?”
“You'd move on from it eventually. And you can see her if you want.”
“I will,” he said in a stiff tone. “Just not now. But I really want to hear her out.”
Both of us stayed there, talking until he started drifting off, and I had to hold him up, while trying to lead him to his room. I was sure that he was going to miss his training the next morning, but at least he was going to get some sleep.
As I walked past Anna's room, I could hear sniffling. My knuckles were raised, ready to knock on the door. I quickly held myself back.
When something like this happened to me, the last thing I wanted was anyone's comfort. I was sure that I'd be there the next morning to give her some kind of comfort.
I headed back outside the house, getting into my car. Everything happened in a blur, and I didn't know how I got home, but I did.
A part of me understood Isabel. She was hurt. She had worked for her parents her whole life, trying to be a good daughter. Even I was a witness to this. Educationally, she was a bomb. Her parents were extremely sure that she was going to be the best CEO. And then, Anna came along. Broken, sweet, strict.
She seemed to be the better one, since she could relate to clients better. That was where Isabel was lacking.
But there were various ways around it. She could have proposed to be a partner to Anna. But she wanted all the power. And that led to her downfall.
The only thing that might save her is that she has her own company. I was the only one who was aware. It was her little empire that she was trying to build.
She might go silent, but there was no telling what she was going to do next.
“How is the situation over there?” My mom asked, and I sighed as I collapsed on the chair.
“Nothing less than the way this place was when dad died.”
She closed her eyes. “I wish I could help,” she whispered, and I held her hand in mine.
“I’ll be going there tomorrow. You can prepare some casserole or something. That's the best food for such things, right?” I asked, and she laughed.
“Of course,” she said, before getting serious again. “I just cannot believe Isabel would do something like that.”
I stood up, heading upstairs. “No one could believe it.”