The study was dimly lit, the golden glow of a single lamp casting long shadows across the dark mahogany desk. Ryan was seated behind it, his attention seemingly fixed on a stack of documents, though I could tell he wasn't reading them. His posture was rigid, his jaw set. He had expected me to follow him.
"Ryan," I called, stepping into the room and closing the door firmly behind me. My voice betrayed the frustration bubbling within me. "You're not walking away from this conversation."
He leaned back in his chair, his eyes meeting mine with a guarded intensity. "Enisa, it's late. This can wait."
"No, it can't," I said, crossing the room until I was standing directly in front of him. "I asked you a simple question, and you gave me a non answer. Serena Davenport isn't just 'someone who no longer matters.' She clearly does, or you wouldn't have reacted the way you did." Ryan exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples as if trying to stave off a headache. "You're persistent, I'll give you that."
"This isn't about persistence, Ryan. It's about honesty. If this… marriage," I gestured vaguely, "is going to work, I need to know what I'm dealing with. Who is Serena to you?"
He stood abruptly, his towering frame suddenly feeling imposing in the enclosed space. For a moment, I thought he might storm past me again, but instead, he moved to the window, his back to me as he spoke.
"Serena and I were involved years ago," he said, his tone clipped. "It ended badly. She's manipulative, self serving, and thrives on control. Trust me, Enisa, you don't want to get tangled in her games." I crossed my arms, processing his words. "Why does she still have such a hold on you, then? She clearly thinks she does."
"She doesn't," Ryan snapped, his voice sharp enough to make me flinch. He turned to face me, his expression softening slightly when he saw the hurt in my eyes. "She doesn't," he repeated, more quietly this time.
There was more to this story, but I could see he wasn't ready to share it yet. And as much as it frustrated me, I knew I wouldn't get any more out of him tonight.
"Fine," I said, stepping back. "But don't expect me to stay in the dark forever. If you're keeping secrets, Ryan, they'll come to light eventually." As I turned to leave, he spoke again, his voice stopping me in my tracks.
"This marriage," he said slowly, "it was never supposed to be real. It was meant to be a convenience for both of us." The words hit me like a punch to the gut, even though I had suspected as much. I turned back to him, my chest tight.
"A convenience?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. Ryan's expression was unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes regret, maybe. "You needed to escape your past, and I needed someone who wouldn't complicate mine. That was the deal. Nothing more."
For a moment, the weight of his words left me speechless. But then, something inside me snapped. "I see," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady. "Well, congratulations, Ryan. You got what you wanted." I walked out of the study, my heart heavy and my mind racing.
The Unexpected Call
Later that night, as I sat in the dimly lit living room, my phone buzzed. The screen lit up with a name I hadn't seen in weeks Zahir. My heart clenched as I stared at it, debating whether to answer.
Finally, I swiped to accept the call.
"Enisa," Zahir's voice was smooth, but there was a strain in it that I hadn't noticed before. "I owe you an explanation." I stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.
"I know I let you down," he said, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Something came up something I couldn't ignore. But I'm back now, and I want to fix this. We can set a new date for the marriage certificate. We can still make this work."
I closed my eyes, the memory of his betrayal flashing behind my lids like a cruel slideshow. His words sounded hollow, a rehearsed script meant to coax me back into his arms.
Anger surged through me.
"Fix this?" I repeated, my voice sharp. "You left me standing there, Zahir. You didn't even have the decency to call. And now you expect me to just pick up where we left off?"
"Don't do this," Zahir's voice hardened, his possessiveness cutting through. "You think you can just move on? You're mine, Enisa, and I won't let you go."
The threat in his words sent a chill down my spine, but I refused to let him see my fear.
"I don't need you, Zahir," I said quietly. "And I don't need your love. Whatever this is whatever you think we had it's over."
Before he could respond, I ended the call, my hands trembling as I set the phone down.
An Unseen Observer
I didn't realize Ryan had been standing in the doorway until he spoke.
"You handled that well," he said, his tone neutral but his eyes sharp.
I startled, my pulse quickening as I turned to face him. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough," he said, stepping into the room. His presence was commanding, his dark eyes studying me with an intensity that made me feel exposed.
"I didn't mean for you to hear that," I said, folding my arms defensively.
Ryan shrugged, leaning casually against the doorframe. "You should have let me take the call. Men like him don't understand boundaries until someone enforces them."
"Men like him," I repeated, narrowing my eyes. "You don't even know him well enough."
"I don't need to," Ryan said simply. "I can see what he's trying to do. He's losing control, and he's desperate to get it back."
"And you're an expert on control, I suppose?" I shot back.
Ryan smirked, but there was no humor in it. "In my world, control is everything."
I sighed, the weight of the evening pressing down on me. "I can handle Zahir. I've been handling him for years."
"I'm sure you have," Ryan said, his tone softer now. "But you don't have to do it alone anymore."
His words caught me off guard, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of something in his eyes something I couldn't quite name.
Dinner that night was a strained affair. The dining room, usually filled with warmth from the soft lighting . Ryan sat at the head of the table, his posture as rigid as ever, while I occupied the opposite side.
The clinking of silverware against plates was the only sound, the silence between us heavy with unspoken words. I avoided his gaze, focusing instead on the simple meal before me.
Ryan didn't try to start a conversation, and for once, I was grateful. My mind was still spinning from the call with Zahir and Ryan's earlier revelation about Serena. The weight of the day seemed unbearable, and I couldn't summon the energy to dissect the tension between us.
After what felt like an eternity, Ryan finished his meal and placed his utensils down with deliberate precision. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, noting the way his jaw tightened as if he were holding something back.
"Goodnight, Enisa," he said quietly, standing and pushing his chair back. His voice was neutral, but the way his eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than necessary hinted at the storm brewing beneath his calm exterior.
"Goodnight," I replied, my tone just as muted.
I didn't watch him leave, keeping my gaze fixed on my half empty plate. The emptiness of the room settled over me like a heavy blanket, and for the first time in a long while, I felt truly alone.
When I finally retreated to my room, I found no solace there either. The quiet of the night brought with it an onslaught of thoughts I wasn't ready to face.
Zahir's voice, Ryan's guarded expression, and my own swirling emotions they all collided in my mind, leaving me restless. I curled up on the bed, staring at the ceiling as the hours stretched on, wondering if I'd ever find peace in the tangled mess my life had become.