Chapter 163: Be My Girlfriend
"This Mr. Green," Ryan said to the cameras, "is currently under investigation for illegal entry and harassment. I think you can all see who is actually harassing whom."
The reporters went wild. This was a massive reversal! It wasn't a gold digger story; it was a story of a hero protecting a woman from a stalker.
Ryan didn't say another word. Under the protection of his guards, he entered the building. A few minutes later, he was at Evelyn’s door.
"It’s handled," Ryan said as she opened the door. He saw her red eyes and wanted to kill someone, but he kept his voice light. "Vincent is scrubbing the internet. The trash will be gone in half an hour."
Evelyn looked at him, her voice caught in her throat. "Thank you..."
"Don't cry." Ryan wiped a tear from her cheek. "Go make something for Elias. He’s shaken up. I’ll handle everything else."
Evelyn nodded and went to the kitchen to heat some milk for her son. As she reached for a box on the top shelf, her hand instinctively went to her neck.
It was empty. The silver ring that usually hung there on a thin chain was gone.
Evelyn froze. That ring was the only thing left by Dean Worth—the only clue to her biological parents!
She frantically checked her collar, then ran to the bedroom to tear apart the pillows and blankets. She crawled on the floor, checking every crack in the rug. Nothing.
It was there at the theme park. It was there when she got home. Then she remembered the struggle in the hallway. Damian had grabbed her, and in the scuffle, his hand had caught on her neckline.
That bastard! He didn't just try to ruin her; he stole the most important thing she owned.
"Ryan!" Evelyn ran out. "The ring... my ring is gone! Damian must have taken it! He stole my only memento from the Dean!"
"Calm down, Evelyn." Ryan caught her shaking hands.
"It was the only way to find my parents..." Evelyn sobbed, her tears hitting his hands.
Ryan stiffened. He remembered the ring he had seen on her nightstand. It wasn't a common piece of jewelry; it looked like a Lawrence family crest ring. Legend had it a rebellious member of the family had disappeared years ago.
His throat tightened. If Evelyn’s parents were connected to his family...
"I’ll get it back," Ryan promised, cupping her face. "If it's in New York, I'll find it. Trust me." He signaled to Vincent behind her, who immediately stepped onto the balcony to make a high-priority call.
"But Damian is a madman," Evelyn whispered. "He’ll destroy it just to hurt me."
"He wouldn't dare." Ryan led her to the sofa and knelt before her so they were eye-to-eye. "Right now, we need to cut off his delusions for good."
He picked up a tablet and showed her the remaining news. While the slander was being deleted, the curiosity about her status as a single mother was still high.
"Elias is in kindergarten. You don't want him hounded by reporters or called names by his classmates, right?"
That hit her hardest. Evelyn closed her eyes, her hands gripping her knees. "What can I do? Run away again?"
"No. Running doesn't work." Ryan set the tablet aside. "You need a status. Something powerful enough to make Damian back off and the media stay quiet."
He leaned in. "Be my girlfriend."
Evelyn’s eyes snapped open. "What?"
"A fake one. For PR," Ryan said, his expression perfectly neutral. "If you are the future lady of the Nova Group—even just in name—no one will dare touch you or your son. Damian will have to think twice before facing the wrath of the Lawrence family."
"It’s just a contract," Ryan added. "I don't want to take advantage of you. We’ll sign a strict legal agreement. I’ll respect your boundaries completely. When things settle down, we can end it."
Evelyn bit her lip. Her logic told her this was the perfect shield. Ryan's power was absolute protection. But it was dangerous. Not just because she would owe him more, but because she was afraid her heart would fall for the fake warmth. She had just escaped one fire; she wasn't ready to bet again.
"Ryan, it’s not fair to you. You get nothing out of this."
"Who says I get nothing?" Ryan chuckled, a hint of bitterness in his eyes. "It’ll stop the elders from trying to shove women into my bed. And..."
He stopped as he felt a tug on his pant leg. Elias had wandered over, clutching his bear. He looked at his mother’s torn expression, then at Ryan.
"Mommy," Elias said, his voice still thick from crying. "I like Uncle Ryan. He chased the bad man away. If he’s my daddy, the bad man won't dare bully you anymore."