Elena's POV
"Ryan, we need to talk." I told him.
Ryan was sitting on the staircase when I got back.
At first I thought he didn't notice me. He looked deep in thoughts. His posture was slouched, elbows resting on his knees, head tilted downward. But the moment I stepped closer, his eyes snapped up to meet mine. I knew then, he saw me when I arrived and he was waiting for me.
A part of me felt relieved to see him. The other part? Absolutely scared do what he was about to say.
I breathed hard. "Ryan.."
He exhaled slowly. "So it's true."
I hesitated. "I–"
"You're actually getting married."
I opened my mouth, I wanted to say something but no words came out.
Ryan let out a bitter chuckle. "Wow. I thought maybe I didn't hear correctly. Or maybe Sophie got it wrong. But no. You really did it."
I stepped closer to him. "Ryan, I wanted to tell you but I—."
"You didn't tell me." He cut in sharply.
"You let me find out on my own. As usual. Do you know how that felt?"
I felt a guilty pain in my chest. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
He scoffed. "Too late for that."
Silence echoed between us for a while. The air was filled with tension, heavy and suffocating.
Ryan was angry but beneath it was fear, disappointment and betrayal.
And it hurt to see him like this. It hurt that I was the cause of his pain.
I breathed. "Ryan, I need you to understand. This is not a rushed decision, I did it for mum. For you."
His jaws tightened. "Don't you dare put this on me and mum."
"I'm not." I answered quickly. "I had no choice, Okay.." The hospital bills were piling up. I had to do something."
"So what? Selling yourself to a billionaire was the best option?"
I flinched. "You know it's not like that." Why would you even think I would do something like that?"
"Oh?" He stood up walking to me, then stopped right ìn front of me. "Then explain it to me then."
"I'm doing it for this family."
"For our family?"
I nodded slowly.
Ryan just stared at me like I wasn't okay. "You think marrying him will fix everything?"
"It already has." I whispered.
Ryan clenched his fists. "So you're really okay with this?"
I hesitated for a second.
Ryan noticed.
His expression changed into something I couldn't point out. "You don't even love him, do You?"
I didn't answer.
He scoffed. "Just..wow."
"Ryan, please under–"
He cut me off and took a step back. "I thought you were better than this."
His words hit me like a slap on my face.
I inhaled sharply. "You think I wanted this?"
His jaw tightened. "I think you could have done anything else."
My patience snapped. "Like what, Ryan? What should I have done? Watch mum suffer? Watch you drop out of school just to work extra shifts?"
He looked away surprised that I knew.
"Of course I knew, I understood where you were coming from. I knew if I told you to stop, You wouldn't listen."
I took a shaky breath. "I need you to be on my side, Ryan."
Ryan was silent for a long moment. Then slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet mine.
His eyes narrowed like he was thinking and then he spoke.
"I can't support this, Elena." I heard the hate in his voice.
He resented me.
My heart twisted. "Ryan, please."
"I can't support it. If you want to marry him, fine but I won't act like I'm okay with it." His tone was firm.
He took another step back. "I'm tired. I need some fresh air."
"Ryan at least come and live with me. You can't stay here on your own" The lump in my throat was heavy but somehow I forced the words out.
He scoffed. "Stay with who? People that don't care about me and You?"
"I will pass." He said
"You can't live here on your own. How would you be eating and your school?"
"Don't worry about me, Elena. I will be fine."
"Bu—"
"Just leave me alone, Elena!" He shouted.
I flinched.
Then before I could say anything else. He turned and walked away.
This time, I didn't try to stop him.
Because deep down, I knew I couldn't change his mind.
I had lost him tonight.
And that hurt more than anything.
I got a call. Alexander.
Why is he calling me? I wondered.
I was too drained to talk. I was hurt, heartbroken and my chest hurts.
Before I knew it, a drop of tear came from my eyes. I didn't know how long I stood there staring at the spot Ryan stood before he left.
Why would my only brother not support me? Why?
I called Sophie.
"Lena, are you Okay."
"No."
She signed. "What happened girl."
"I need you to do something for me."
"What is it?" she said.
I stopped for a moment then told her. "Keep an eye on Ryan for me. He doesn't want to live with me anymore."
"You know I will." she replied.
Then she inhaled. "He just needs time to process everything."
"He doesn't even want to support me on the wedding day." I told her.
"Honestly, You can't blame him."
"What do you mean? You don't support it too?" I swallowed the lump in my throat.
Sophie groaned. "Lena, it's not about supporting it. It's about understanding why you're doing it."
"I told you why."
"Yeah and I still think it's insane." She said, "But you're my best friend. I'm not going to abandon you over this. Ryan just..needs time to figure out how he feels."
"I don't just want to lose him."
"You won't. He's just mad. He'll come around." Sophie assured me.
I really hoped she was right.
But the way he looked at me made me think otherwise.
I told Sophie bye then ended the call. I saw Henry waiting and then he drove me home.