It was a cold, starry night; stars continued to twinkle in the deep gray sky, and the moon shone as if it were the most brilliant creation He had ever made. The neighborhood was all in deep sleep. The sounds of the waves create a peaceful atmosphere across the area.Ryleigh remained in bed and was extremely awake. She is beginning to sense whether her body is still weak or if she still has a fever, but praise God, it has passed.She suddenly felt thirsty and was going to remove her comforter when she heard someone enter her room. According to his physique, he is a male. And there are only two individuals in the house; her and Luke. But what will Lucas do in her chamber at this time? He knew she couldn't still accomplish what he desired, and visiting her would wound his pride.She waited for the man to approach before her eyes widened in recognition of Lucas.The way he moved, though, suggested that he was attempting to maintain his equilibrium, and when the light from the lampshade sh
Ryleigh never saw Lucas again after having breakfast. It was Saturday, and she was aware that the man seldom left the house on weekends unless Hannah is present. They will have a date outdoors. Yes, she is the wife, but she has never actually been one. Lucas never invites her out on a date, not even a sham one. She must accept her plight, no matter how painful it is.Every young lady desired a happily ever after romance with their prince charming. Well, she could say that her life is currently akin to a fairytale, where she is the weakling—the slave—and is waiting for a fairy godmother to rescue her, or like Rapunzel in her tower, waiting for her prince charming, and will spend the night in the lake singing—oh, whatever she's thinking, it's sheer stupidity. It is a nasty old story in a book that was created solely to fool children.She was in this situation when Lucas noticed her on the second floor."Tonight, let's just have a one-hour session. 7 pm. Next week, Hannah will already be
The following morning, Rye awoke early and repeated her normal practice. Except for her core, she is pain-free and can carry on with her daily activities. She might still feel a small amount of discomfort.She was churning pancake batter in a bowl when she noticed Luke enter the kitchen.She greeted the man with "Good morning," and he simply nodded as he went about his daily routine; as usual, he would brew his coffee again.Rye expelled a big sigh before turning around and beginning to cook her pancakes. She was placing some ingredients in the pan when she caught a glimpse of Luke, who was currently seated and sipping from his cup.She thought it was a miracle that he would sit in the kitchen while she was there. " What are you up to?"Luke then looked at her and locked eyes with her. " What are your thoughts?"Rye stopped speaking and left him alone. She does not want to quarrel with him since she does not know what he will do to her next.She took one dish and placed it next to her
Hannah called Lucas when it was already dusk. Lucas is surprised to find the woman at the airport waiting for him. He anticipates Hannah tomorrow, not today. And he appears angry when the wife tells him to retrieve her immediately.The time is already beyond six, and he has a session with Ryleigh scheduled for seven."Babe, are you paying attention?"It was Hannah's voice that brought him back to reality.“Yeah. I'll be present. Simply wait for me," he added before ending the call.He was waiting for Rye in his playroom, but Hannah was already at the airport. He sighed, stood up, and left the room. He was ready to resume his trek when he noticed Rye approaching from his side.Damn it! When he saw her wearing a yellow floral dress that suited her, he swore in his head. Damn! She has the ideal curves. If circumstances were different, he may be considered fortunate. However, they are not destined to be together."Let's do it at a later date. I need to retrieve Hannah—whatever, why should
"My God, Luke! Why did you allow her to leave?" Luke's chamber was filled with Hannah's shrill yells. " She assaulted me and even pulled my hair." L uke held a glass of champagne in his right hand while stroking his temple with the other. Hannah continues to ramble on about Ryleigh even though hours have passed."You should've let me knock the hell out of her, or you should've punched her, right?" she asked Luke as she approached him. "Why did you let it pass, honey?"“Seriously? Are we going to dispute this, Hannah?"Hannah pouted as she sat alongside Luke. "Why don't you call me baby?" She is currently beginning her tantrum."You were to blame, Hannah." Luke added, "And don't mess things up between you and Rye."“No! She initially tugged my hair—""Fuck it, Hannah! What are your thoughts about me? A blind person? And if you continue to say it was Rye's fault, I suppose I'll just sleep in the guest room—""Why would you defend Rye?" Hannah stood before him with her arms crossed."B
As anticipated, Hannah told Luke everything about her, and Ryleigh heard the prostitute disparage her in front of Luke.She then looked into Luke's eyes and saw and felt his lunacy. However, she continued to vacuum the carpeted floor.Earlier, she performed a few errands, and vacuuming will be her last chore for the day. Luke had just returned home, and Hannah was also there waiting for him."Check out that lady, babe." She heard Hannah, but she never had the courage to look at them; instead, she rushed quickly to complete what she had begun.Hannah continues to speak, and she does not know if that woman is literally stupid because she sees Rye in the room, but continues bringing her up. Before looking at Hannah and Luke, Rye switched off the vacuum and placed it in its proper location.Prior to leaving the living room and ascending the stairs, she lifts her left brow at the woman.She had had enough of the abuse she was receiving. She may become weary, but she will never give up on L
The next morning, Ryleigh awoke feeling dreadful. The muscle in her abdomen still hurts, although not as much as it did yesterday.She will face punishment from him regardless of how hard she attempts to be tough and ignore everything. Now, she had no choice but to comply with Hannah. Oh God, she wanted to end it all and just divorced him, but when Lucas reveals his other side — where he demonstrates caring — not literally, but Rye can sense it via his voice and actions — she will end up trying to be tough every day. Finding herself repeatedly submissive to him.She had just cleansed her face before leaving her room for the kitchen. She observed Lucas and Hannah enjoying coffee and conversing while seated across from one another.Rye greeted them with "Good morning," which attracted their attention.The cold emerald eyes of Lucas met hers. She smiled at him, but he remained expressionless and turned his attention back to Hannah."What's the morning like when we see you?" Hannah is now
"Did you see her expression?" Abby asked as soon as they entered her room. The woman laughed out loud as she dragged her baggage to Ryleigh's bed and sat down on it."Abby, you shouldn't do that. Hannah will tell Luke about it."Abby ceased laughing and regarded her. "Are you frightened?"Rye brought the wooden chair to himself and sat down. "It's not quite that—""What then? I was aware of it. That Luke is physically and emotionally harmful to you. Take a look at your cheek."Rye expelled a heavy sigh. With their separation, Abby observed it once more."I'm to blame."Abby was aware that her laughter was mocking. "In their perspective, it's always your fault because you let them—I don't know Rye, I've told you I won't keep asking you about it. Because no matter how much I try to persuade you to leave him, you won't listen to me, correct?""Time flies so fast and I love him as much as I want to obey my fa—""Stupid love! Pathetic. You love him so deeply, huh? That you allow him to dam
Ryleigh’s POV Months have already passed, yet Lucas is still not awake. There has been no advancement. And I almost gave up, but I am aware that he is fighting. He is attempting to return for me... for us. And every idea of losing him nearly rends me apart. How many drugs has he received by injection? I lost count. I pray every day and every moment, but especially while I am by his side, holding his hand, pressing it, and conversing with him. I am aware that there is yet hope. And I believe that miracles are possible. A month ago, our daughter became one year old. We celebrated it in his room, attempting to lighten the mood on that particular day, but we all knew it was futile. Lucas is laying on a hospital bed with equipment inserted into various portions of his body, and he is sleeping so soundly that we fear he will pass away at any time. Damn it! May God have mercy on me. Why should he be one of the many individuals who desired to engage in pointless activities? Why must Luca
When you believed that everything was in order, you relaxed and enjoyed yourself. Ryleigh never imagined that Hannah would reach the point where she would attempt to hurt innocents. Since Hannah had simply given Lucas until 4:00 p.m. to arrange everything, he asked her to stay, but she declined. "We must notify Abby. They can assist." “No! I will handle this on my own. Please comply. It is for your benefit. You have no idea what will happen—" "Lucas, we cannot predict what will occur. Please, let's coordinate with them rather than with law enforcement. You're a broker, correct?" "I resigned." The eyes of Rye expanded. "I don't care. Abby is my companion. Keith and Drake are your friends.” "This has no bearing on them. I must resolve this issue by myself." Rye yanked a hair strand out of fury. "You don't get it, do you? I desired to assist. My daughter—" "Our daughter," he remarked. “Yes. Ours. And I must—" Luke cupped her face and peered into her eyes, which caused her to st
It is an undeniable fact that we enjoy being liked. We have a natural yearning to feel a part of a group or to be liked by another individual. Life does not always afford us acceptance, however. Instead, it is frequently loaded with rejections, refusals, and everything else. Rejection helps us move our attention from our mistakes to how we can improve. Ace will utilize rejection as a defining event for himself. He then realizes that rejection becomes easier with repeated exposure. Continuously running into it demonstrates a gutsy will to seek out opportunities. And each time you recover from a setback, you emerge somewhat more powerful. Although he may accept the rejection, the anguish remains. It is still apparent, and it has further hurt his heart. The suffering of loving someone who does not return his affection is killing him. He feels as though his universe has fallen apart. Often, loving someone who does not love you back is heartbreaking. It is even awful. It is simple t
The following day, Rye was astonished to find Lucas sitting in her family's living room and conversing with her father. Then, carrying her child, she approached them. When he spotted them, the man stood up and smiled, which is unusual. He is not this way. She had never seen Lucas grin at her with such sincerity as he does now. He welcomed them with "Good morning, Rye" and moved closer to them. "You're early," is the only thing she can say. "I've decided to pay you a visit, and your father and I will be attending the summit." Rye was unable to speak. She suddenly recalled Ace. ‘How is he doing?’ She simply nodded. Lucas extended his hand towards Amelia and bit his lower lip. “Can I?” She grinned. The man desired to carry his daughter, thus Amelia was handed up to him. She asserted, "Let's have a cup of hot coffee in the kitchen." Lucas desired to smile and was incredibly red-faced. However, he held it. He does not wish to presume things for which he may have the opportunity.
Following breakfast, Rye decided to depart the motel. However, as she was ready to touch the elevator button, she hesitated. It began to manifest, Lucas. Her heart is close to bursting out of her chest due to shock. Her lips parted and her eyes expanded. The elevator was about to close when Lucas placed his hand between the doors to prevent it from closing. He then moved outside, but his sight never left Rye. Rye then pretended to have a cough and was about to enter the room when he stopped her. "We need to talk," he stated in a monotone voice. At that time, her body did not react appropriately. She caught herself nodding just now. She removed her arms from his grasp, causing him to scowl. He asserted, "Follow me," and started to walk. After a few minutes of strolling, they encountered the individuals she desired to avoid. “Ryleigh?” She whispered "Dad." It was her father and mother who were carrying her daughter. She is uncertain whether she will cry at that moment. Especially
Before arriving at the hotel, Ace never bothers Rye on their flights. The summit arranged for everything, from food to lodging. They will spend a week in California. At eight o'clock in the evening, he invited Rye to supper, but she declined. It is yet another sort of suffering for him. But what more could he do if she refused, claiming she was not hungry? Afterward, he spent the night alone. He decided to go to the bar in the restaurant where he had dinner. He then reached for some potent alcoholic beverages in an effort to forget his troubles. Ace was certain that it was Rye, not his past, that constantly caused his chest to clench. It took him days to grasp it. Since he met Rye, he has already let go of Margaret's memories and accepted everything from the past. When he had nearly consumed seven drinks, he decided to ascend to his chamber. When he reached their floor, he halted in front of Rye's room with the intention of knocking, but instead, he turned his back and entered the ro
"Why are you resigning, Lucas?" Keith's automobile was filled with the roar of his voice. They were on their way to the main office to hand over Lucas' resignation letter. Keith is unaware of his motive, but he is aware that it involves Hannah and Rye. “You can simply take a break without having to re—" Lucas said, "I've already chosen." His forehead contracted. “Why?” Lucas glanced at him before returning his attention to the road. "Do I need reasons for quitting?" he inquired. "Of course." He laughed with sarcasm. "I must only concentrate on the company. Individual investors are leaving the market. Hela also needs my focus. Perhaps these are sufficient grounds, right?" Keith let out a heavy sigh. "Well, the choice is yours. I am aware I cannot undo it." "I also wanted to recuperate fully from that accident and desperately wanted to retrieve those memories," he added. Keith nodded and remained silent till they arrived at the agency. It took only minutes for Lucas to submit
Rye spent all of her time in Ace's office, reading books and browsing the web. She was unable to comprehend Ace's actions. It seems like he's, her boyfriend. The manner in which he behaves as a possessive lover... being bipolar as a result of what occurred earlier—he is merely stating the obvious. And when she attempted to confront him, he would instantly change the subject. She sighed and glanced at her wristwatch, which revealed that it was already four o'clock in the afternoon. She looked at Ace and sighed once more. He is continuing to sign some documents that he was apparently unable to sign earlier due to distraction. She is curious as to why. She stood and adjusted her attire before approaching him. Ace then felt her presence, prompting him to look at her with a slightly furrowed brow. She inquired, "What time are we leaving for home?" Ace looked back over his actions. "I'm just going to complete this," he responded. She then nodded, placed her hand behind her back, and mo
After leaving the hospital, Rye and Abby proceeded to a coffee shop to discuss various matters. Abby exhales deeply and cannot look directly into Rye's eyes. Because she anticipated that her friend would inquire about her. "Your sigh is really disturbing, Abby. Seems you're nervous, huh?" Rye inquired while sipping her iced caramel coffee. She said, "I loathe the way you stared at me." Rye's brow furrowed as she nibbled on her onion toast. She added as she sipped her coffee, "I know you have a lot of questions running through your head right now, and I'm considering how to answer them." Rye let out a quiet chuckle. "You know me too well," she said. She gave a headshake. "I only wanted to ask one question. Do not fret," she added. At that moment, Abby scoffed. "You cannot deceive me. I anticipated that you would have additional questions following that." She even tapped the wooden table while laughing. “Amazing. Indeed, you're an agent," she confirmed, observing Abby's widening e