Chapter 5

At that moment, Laura's call came through. "Ryder, I just heard from the project department manager that you've handed off all your work to others. What's going on?"

"I told you yesterday, didn't I? I'm taking care of the rest of the wedding planning. I can't juggle everything at once. The others in the department are seasoned employees—I trust them to handle things," Ryder explained.

"Oh, alright. I thought... Never mind," Laura dismissed.

"Mm," Ryder hummed.

After hanging up, Laura couldn't shake the uneasiness in her heart.

Something about Ryder didn't feel right, but his explanation made perfect sense, leaving her with little to question.

Suddenly, she stretched her hand into the air, making a grasping motion.

The air slipped through her fingers, leaving her empty-handed.

It felt as if something was slipping away from her—something she couldn't hold onto.

-

Ryder hailed a cab and headed to an orphanage on the outskirts of town.

This was the same orphanage his parents had supported while they were alive. The director, Alexander Sawyer, had been one of his father's closest friends.

As soon as Alexander saw him from afar, he began waving enthusiastically. "Ryder, you're here!"

He led Ryder into the orphanage.

"What about Laura? Didn't she come with you this time? Aren't you two about to get married?" he asked.

Forcing a weak smile, Ryder replied, "There's been... an issue. The wedding might not happen after all."

Alexander's expression grew cautious. "What happened? Did you have a fight with Laura?"

Shaking his head, Ryder answered, "No, it's not that. My professor emailed me recently, encouraging me to return and pursue further studies. I thought about it and decided to focus on my growth first."

"Don't give me that nonsense! I've watched you grow up—what's really going on?" Alexander pressed.

Faced with no way out, Ryder finally told Alexander about Seth.

After listening, Alexander fell into a long silence.

Eventually, he spoke. "Ryder, as long as this is truly what you want, I'll support you. All I want is for you to be happy."

For the first time since deciding to leave, tears welled up in Ryder's eyes.

Alexander's words struck something deep within him.

He nodded firmly. "Thank you, Uncle Alexander."

Alexander then asked, "Will we see you again soon, or..."

"I'm not sure. It'll probably be a while. Once everything settles down, I'll come back and visit everyone," Ryder replied.

-

After bidding Alexander farewell, Ryder picked up some fruit and headed to a nearby hospital.

Inside one of the rooms, an elderly woman with gray hair lay quietly in bed.

"Granny Bambra, it's me. I came to see you," Ryder greeted.

The old woman, Lisa Bambra, stirred, raising her head slightly.

When she saw him, a soft smile spread across her face. "Ryder, you're here."

She reached out a hand to touch his head, and he obediently leaned down to let her.

Lisa was someone Ryder and Laura had met back in university. One day, while shopping, Lisa had suddenly collapsed in front of them. The two had rushed her to the hospital.

It was only later that they learned she had no family.

Feeling a connection, the two of them had decided to look after her in her twilight years.

Over the past two years, Lisa's health had been steadily declining, and she had been frequently hospitalized.

Pulling up a chair, Ryder sat by her bedside as she took his hand.

"Ryder, I heard from Laura that you two are getting married soon, right?" she asked.

Her words made him visibly uncomfortable. Explaining things to elders was always the hardest part.

Upon noticing his hesitation, Lisa's expression grew concerned. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Just as he opened his mouth to respond, the hospital room door swung open.

Standing there with a bag of supplements was Seth. He froze momentarily at the sight of Ryder but quickly smiled.

"Granny Bambra, hello! Laura and I came to see you," he greeted.

Then, he turned to Ryder. "What a coincidence to see you here, too!"

Pushing past Seth, Laura stepped into the room.

When she saw Ryder, she asked, "You're here too? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was a last-minute decision," Ryder replied. "Didn't think it was worth bothering you over."

Lisa pointed to Seth and asked Laura, "Laura, who is this?"

Before Laura could answer, Seth jumped in with a cheerful grin. "Granny Bambra, I'm Laura's assistant. Just call me Seth."

Lisa's gaze lingered on Laura and Seth momentarily, and a knowing look crossed her face. She turned back to Ryder as if to ask, "Is it because of this?"

Ryder smirked and gave her a nearly imperceptible nod.