The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Sofia stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock and hurt. Ryan's words, sharp and cold, echoed in the silent library. He was angry, his anger fueled by a deep-seated pain that she had inadvertently touched.
"You think you know me?" he spat, his voice laced with bitterness. "You think you can just waltz into my life and read my thoughts? You think you can understand the pain I've carried for years? You're just a nanny, a hired hand, a temporary fixture in my life!"
Sofia's heart sank. She had never felt so small, so insignificant. His words were like a slap in the face, a harsh reminder of her place in his world. She was just a nanny, a hired hand, a temporary fixture in his life. She was not a friend, not a confidante, not someone he trusted.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Blackwood," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to upset you. I was just trying to understand..."
"Understand?" Ryan scoffed, his anger escalating. "You don't understand anything! You don't know what it's like to lose the love of your life, to have your world shattered in an instant! You don't know what it's like to be haunted by the ghosts of the past, to be consumed by grief and regret!"
He took a step towards her, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. "You think you can just waltz in here and fix me? You think you can heal my wounds with your little girl's stories and your naive attempts at empathy? You're delusional!"
Sofia felt tears stinging her eyes, but she held them back. She couldn't let him see her weakness, her vulnerability. She had to stand her ground, to defend herself.
"I'm not trying to fix you, Mr. Blackwood," she said, her voice firm, despite the tremor in her chest. "I'm just trying to be a good nanny to Lily. I'm trying to make her happy. And I'm trying to be a good person, to show kindness and compassion, even when it's not easy."
Ryan stared at her, his anger slowly simmering down, replaced by a flicker of something else – perhaps regret, perhaps a hint of understanding. He turned away, his shoulders slumping, his gaze fixed on the floor.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled, his voice barely audible. "I didn't mean to say those things. I'm just... hurting."