Chapter 5

"Penny?"

It took me a moment to register that Ryan was speaking to me. When I finally nodded, he bent down slightly, his gaze shifting toward the figure hiding behind me.

"And this must be little Eve?"

Eve peeked out from behind my legs, her wide eyes fixed on him.

"Daddy?"

I expected her to shy away, but to my surprise, she ran straight into his arms.

Ryan reacted swiftly, catching her with ease. A warm, easy smile spread across his face as he held her close.

I cleared my throat, feeling a flicker of awkwardness as I patted Eve.

"You've got it wrong, Eve. This isn't your daddy—he's your grandpa. He's your daddy's daddy. They look alike, that's all."

But no matter how many times I tried to correct her, Eve refused to let go of Ryan.

Ryan only chuckled softly, brushing aside my apologies with a wave of his hand as he carried Eve into the living room.

"I'm sorry," I said again, trailing after him. "She just… misses Roy too much."

The moment I mentioned Roy, something heavy settled in my chest, dragging my mood down with it.

Ryan's eyes flickered briefly to the papers scattered across the table—legal documents, passports, the pieces of a life being quietly dismantled. Understanding flashed in his expression.

"I'm the one who should apologize," he said. "My son has caused you a lot of pain. Roy's mother died shortly after he was born. I raised him alone, but I poured too much of myself into my work and too little into raising a child. Somewhere along the way, I failed to teach him how to love properly."

He continued, "After he came of age, Roy returned to the country. Our relationship became purely professional—whatever was left of us as father and son had faded by then. I didn't even know he'd married you until the wedding was over. He just sent a brief message, as if it were a minor detail. Later, I began to see photos on his social media—pictures of him, Sammy, and Linda. I assumed—"

He stopped mid-sentence, shaking his head faintly.

"I had a private investigator track you down," he admitted. "That's how I found this address. I wanted to understand the woman my son had left behind. And the more I learned, the more I saw how remarkable you are."

His words hung in the air, simple and sincere. I felt a flush creep up my neck, and I looked away, unsure how to respond.

Ryan seemed to sense my discomfort and shifted his focus back to Eve. From a suitcase, he produced a Barbie doll—custom-made, with delicate features that mirrored Eve's own.

"For our little princess," he said, offering the doll with a gentle smile.

Eve's face lit up in pure delight. Without hesitation, Ryan settled down beside her, helping her braid the doll's hair. The sight was almost surreal—the formidable CEO of the Reid Group sitting cross-legged on my living room floor, playing with Barbie dolls as if nothing in the world mattered more.

By the time Eve drifted off to sleep, Ryan had already tucked her into bed. He lingered by her side, watching as I pulled the blanket up to her chin and switched on the nightlight.

That night, we shared dinner at my kitchen table.

Ryan praised my homemade lasagna more times than I could count.

"It's nothing special," I said, brushing off the compliment. "I only learned how to make it because Roy liked it."

This was my signature dish, sure. But the CEO of Reid Group must've tasted countless tasty food across the globe.

However, Ryan's praise was too sincere to be mere politeness. There was something disarming about his warmth—an ease that made me lower my guard before I even realized it.

Maybe that's why, as the evening stretched on, I began to tell him everything.

I told him how I met Roy. How my father, desperate to secure a business deal, had forced Roy into my bed.

When I finished, I stole a glance at Ryan, expecting—what? Disgust, maybe. Judgment.

But all I saw was a faint press of his lips, as if he were weighing my words carefully. The silence stretched, making my pulse quicken with anxiety.

"I've already decided to divorce Roy," I blurted out, as if that would somehow erase the ugliness of the past. "I won't bring any trouble to the Reid Group."

For a moment, Ryan said nothing. Then, slowly, one brow arched in amusement.

"Relax, Penny," he said, a faint smile curling his lips. "Sacrificing yourself for love or family—it's all the same kind of courage. Though…" He paused, his eyes glinting with a touch of mischief. "If your father really wanted a deal, maybe he should've wrapped me up in a bow and sent me to your bed instead."

He leaned back, his voice lower—teasing but not unkind.

"But I'll warn you—I hold my liquor well. If I ever end up wrapped in a bow, you can be sure it's by choice."