The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the library as Sofia carefully traced the delicate script in Ryan's journal. She was captivated by his words, his raw vulnerability, his love for Amelia. The journal was a window into his soul, revealing a depth of emotion she had never imagined beneath his stoic exterior.
She was so engrossed in the journal that she didn't hear the soft click of the door opening. A shadow fell across the page, and Sofia looked up, startled. Ryan stood in the doorway, his face a mask of anger. His eyes, usually a stormy gray, now burned with a fiery intensity.
"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. "My private journal is not for your perusal."
Sofia's heart pounded in her chest. She had been so caught up in the story of Ryan and Amelia that she hadn't considered the implications of reading his personal writings. She had violated a trust, a boundary she hadn't realized existed.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Blackwood," she stammered, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to intrude. I was just curious..."
"Curious?" Ryan's voice was laced with sarcasm. "You think it's appropriate to snoop through my personal belongings?"
Sofia felt tears prickling her eyes. She knew she had made a mistake, but she couldn't help but feel a pang of hurt. She had been trying to understand him, to connect with him on a deeper level. She had never intended to betray his trust.
"I was just trying to understand you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I wanted to know who you were, what you were like before..."
Ryan's anger seemed to dissipate slightly, replaced by a flicker of pain. He turned away, his shoulders slumping, his gaze fixed on the floor. "Amelia was my world," he said, his voice a mere whisper. "She was everything to me."