"It was the break of dawn, and it was raining. I woke to the sound of someone yelling my name. It was Christine; she found us quickly since the dragons are too big for a normal animal.
"Hey, oh my god, are you ok?" she asked. I was disappointed not to see Ryan there.
"Where is Ryan?" I asked.
"Oh, I don't know," she said. I found that weird.
"Do you know where his office is?" I asked.
"Yeah, it's in the town," she replied.
"Let's go," I said and took off to go to Ryan's office. But before that, we went back to the house. I was surprised to see everything normal, and the maids didn't find anything weird either. I left the dragons at home; I didn't want to scare the people in the town. I took a horse from the stable, which belonged to Ryan, and went to the town. The town was no less than a city; it was well-developed, and people gave me the 'are you stupid' eyes because I was riding a horse.
After a while of asking and searching, I finally found Ryan's office. All I knew was Ryan owned this place; I didn't even have time to change my outfit. I was a mess; my entire white dress was muddy, torn, and burned in a few places because of the dragons. I even had a few cuts, scratches, and reopened wounds.
"Hi, umm... is Mr. Ryan here?" I asked at the reception. I left the horse outside; she was a very fierce horse who would barely meet people, so I didn't have to worry about her getting kidnapped or something. The receptionist looked at me and made a face; she was probably thinking, 'Who is this homeless girl?' But only if she knew...
"Yes, Mr. Ryan is here, but I am not allowed to let anyone in, so I will need details," she said in a slightly rude voice. I don't blame her; I would think it's fishy too if someone showed up to the office looking like this and asked for your CEO.
"Okay, ask me whatever, but it is also quite urgent so can you make it quick?" I asked. I guess she didn't like that; she rolled her eyes.
"Ugh... so, why do you need to see Mr. Ryan?" she asked.
"It's personal information; I can't disclose it to anyone except Mr. Ryan."
"Well, you can't give me that; tell me why you are here for real."
"Umm... it's family business."
"Okay, and what's your relationship with Mr. Ryan?" she asked, which made me wonder, what is our relationship? What am I to him? After thinking, I decided to go with a 'friend.'
"I am his friend," I said.
"Don't think he would be friends with someone like that," she muttered under her breath, but I was able to hear her.
"Excuse me, you can't talk about people like that," I corrected her, but she was not too happy about it.
"I can talk about people like that; since you are a fake girl who is here to get his attention, I can tell you like that. Also, you won't meet him, so go away," she said, the audacity of her to tell me that. But I'm not sure if Ryan would be happy seeing me here or if he will be embarrassed.
"I am not a fake girl, and it is really important, so let me through." We have now attracted a lot of attention; I hated attention. But our argument is growing larger, and everyone is talking about us, especially me.
"Is it you, Ivy?" a very familiar voice called me. We stopped arguing, and I turned to look. I met the eyes of someone who I once loved more than myself, and now I hate him more than anything.
"Didn't see you there, Liam," I said and turned towards him, totally ignoring the receptionist who was arguing with me earlier.
"Well, you don't look good," he said and laughed.
"At least I don't look like a drug addict," I said, and that made him twitch.
"I wonder why he didn't kill you yet," he said. It's Liam; of course, he had no shame whatsoever. He didn't care if people watched.
"His place was a better home than I had in the past 8 years," I said, and Liam's face changed colors; he was mad now.
"Well, don't get your hopes up because he will kill you as soon as he is done with you," Liam said, taking steps closer to me, but I stayed my ground.
"What's going on?" another familiar deep voice asked. It belonged to Ryan; I knew it even without looking. Ryan walked towards us; he looked at me and said,
"Oh my god, what happened to you, Savage?" he asked.
"Long story; I need you," I said. After looking at Ryan, I didn't have control over me; I was tearing up. The crowd gasped as Ryan dropped to his knees.
"I am so sorry, love; I wasn't there when you needed me desperately," he said in front of hundreds of people. Everyone started whispering and talking about us. Liam didn't look too happy when Ryan got up and hugged me without hesitating.
"You lied to me, Crimson; you will pay for it," Liam said and left. Ryan held my hand and took me to his office. Of course, I didn't forget to look at that receptionist who was judging me earlier. She looked like she was about to cry, and I smirked and winked at her while walking away with Ryan.
As Ryan led me into his office, I couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and apprehension. The familiar surroundings offered a semblance of safety, yet the weight of everything that had transpired weighed heavily on my mind.
Ryan closed the door behind us, shutting out the murmurs and stares from the hallway. He turned to me with concern etched on his face, his eyes searching mine for answers.
"What happened, Ivy?" Ryan's voice was gentle, but urgency tinged his words.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself before recounting the chaotic events of the past hours. "It's... complicated. Dragons, Shadow, and... everything just spiraled out of control."
Ryan listened intently as I explained, his expression shifting from concern to disbelief and anger at certain points. He held my hand throughout, offering silent support as I poured out the tumultuous series of events that had led me to his doorstep.
"I had no idea..." Ryan muttered, more to himself than to me, as if grappling with the revelations.
"I didn't know where else to go," I admitted softly, feeling vulnerable under his gaze.
Ryan's features softened as he reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from my face. "You're safe now, Ivy. That's all that matters."
I nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude towards him. Despite everything, Ryan's presence was a grounding force amidst the chaos. His reassurance meant more to me than I could express.
"I'm sorry for barging in like this," I apologized, suddenly self-conscious of my disheveled appearance.
Ryan shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Don't apologize. You did the right thing coming here. I'm just glad you're here, safe."
We stayed in silence for a moment, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. Finally, I broke the quiet, needing to address the elephant in the room. "What Liam said... about you... is it true?"
Ryan sighed, his expression turning pained. "Ivy, there are things you don't know... things I wish I could have told you sooner."
My heart sank, fearing the worst. "Tell me, Ryan. Please."
He hesitated, then began to explain, his voice tinged with regret and sadness. As he spoke, I listened intently, feeling a flood of emotions—betrayal, hurt, but also a strange sense of relief that the truth was finally coming to light.
When Ryan finished, there was a heavy silence between us. I absorbed his words, grappling with the implications of what I had just learned. The revelations were a bitter pill to swallow, but I appreciated Ryan's honesty.
"I don't know what to say," I admitted finally, feeling emotionally drained.
Ryan reached for my hand again, his touch grounding me. "You don't have to say anything right now, Ivy. Just know that I'm here for you."
I nodded, grateful for his understanding. Despite the turmoil, being with Ryan felt strangely comforting, as if I had found a sanctuary amidst the storm.
"Thank you," I whispered, meeting his gaze with a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty.
Ryan smiled softly, his eyes warm with reassurance. "Always, Ivy."
And in that moment, as we stood together in the sanctuary of his office, I knew that whatever lay ahead, I wouldn't face it alone.
As Ryan and I stood there in his office, the weight of our conversation lingered in the air. Despite his reassurances, I couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that there was more to uncover, more secrets hidden beneath the surface.
Just as I was about to speak, a sharp knock on the door interrupted us. Ryan's expression shifted, a flicker of concern crossing his features. He glanced at me apologetically before moving to open the door.
Standing in the doorway was a figure I didn't expect to see—someone whose presence instantly reignited old fears and uncertainties. Their unexpected arrival sent a chill down my spine, and I couldn't help but wonder how they fit into the tangled web of secrets that had unraveled around me.
"Ryan," the visitor said in a voice that dripped with menace, "we need to talk."
Ryan's jaw tightened, his gaze flickering between me and the newcomer. Whatever was about to unfold, I sensed that it would only deepen the complexities of the situation we found ourselves in.
As the door closed behind them, leaving me alone in the silence of Ryan's office, I couldn't shake the feeling that the storm I thought I'd weathered was far from over...