Chapter 5

Ryan's POV

I’m about to lose my mind. She is driving me the fuck crazy.

She has changed. She is different. She is no longer the lady I knew.

First, she appeared wearing a dress that hugged her curves in every right place after disappearing for three years, and now she’s become a shareholder. Not just a shareholder, but a major one.

Which means I would be seeing more of her often.

“Well, since the deal is finalized, I’d like to excuse myself. I’ll be back in some minutes.”

She stood up, flashing a smile. That smile again.

That smile that’s been making me weak in the knees ever since she arrived. Her assistant stood to follow her, but she declined and left the room alone.

I needed to talk to her, and if I could, now is the right time.

I stood up and slipped out of the office.

Where did she go?

I walked through the corridor, scanning my eyes around, hoping to catch a glimpse of her but to no avail.

I was about to give up when the fresh scent of wildflowers filled my lungs. I turned to meet her gaze.

My eyes bore into hers. Her eyes are still the brightest brown I’ve ever seen. My gaze trailed from her face down over her chest, where her dress hugged her hips.

Chill the fuck out.

I chided myself mentally.

Thousands of questions flooded my mind, but one stood out: 'Where the fuck have you been for three years?'

I looked for her after she left but never found her.

“Ophelia…”

I started, but the words got stuck in my throat. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say to her, so I kept staring until she averted her gaze.

“Mr. Gray,” she responded, her expression stone cold.

“Ryan would do,” I muttered.

“I would rather address you as Mr. Gray, and I would appreciate it if you called me Ms. Ophelia or Ms. Jenkins,” she replied icily.

Damn! What the hell happened to her? She has changed. She was no longer the sweet Ophelia I knew years back. The lady I was distant to, yet who would still try to win me over. The lady I fell head over heels for while I kept telling myself it wasn’t that deep. Until it was too late…

“Okay, if you insist.”

I ducked my head towards her. It was then I took a closer look at her.

Her skin was incredibly smooth and flawless. Her brown eyes sparkled, fringed by lashes. Her lips were painted deep red, and it took every effort in me not to pull her closer and kiss her.

“I’m just surprised to see you. It’s been three years.”

Still, I got nothing. No response or expression from her.

“Mr. Gray, I would prefer we don’t talk about that. Given our history and acknowledging the fact that we were once married, I would prefer if our interactions were strictly business-based.”

Fuck, she did not. She didn’t just pull the card she played on Vivian earlier on me, did she?

“I looked for you. I searched everywhere for you, but it was like you disappeared from the face of the earth.”

I began, my frustrations brewing over. That was the first reaction I’d be getting from her as her eyes flashed with a hint of sadness.

“Why search for me when all you wanted was to see me gone?” she said, and I ruffled my hair again.

“Fuck, Ophelia…” I paused. “Is that what you believed? That I wanted you gone?”

Of course, that’s what she’d believe.

She didn’t reply, so I pressed on.

“I never wanted to hurt you, I would never. I really meant it when I said I love you. I would never want you gone. Things just…”

I trailed off, realizing what I was about to imply.

“Shit!” I groaned loudly as I slammed my hand hard against the wall.

“Things just?” she questioned, her eyes rimmed with anger I’ve never seen before. Not even the day she came to my engagement ceremony with Vivian.

“Tell me what happened? I want an answer!” Her eyes blazed with fury.

“Do you know what you’ve cost me? Did you think everything ended with you leaving me for Viv? Do you know what I went through? Of course you don’t.”

Her questions left me dumbstruck. I felt a pang in my chest as she spoke. Her voice was filled with so much sorrow I hadn’t imagined I caused her.

“Right,” she mouthed.

“I’m sorry, I got overwhelmed, but it’s all over now,” she paused as she stared at me.

“Mr. Gray.”

Not that again…

“I’ll be taking my leave now.”

I wanted to stop her. I wanted to pull her into an embrace and explain everything to her. I wanted her to know I’d never deliberately hurt her, but instead, I watched as she walked away…again.