Ophelia's pov The water cascading down my face couldn’t wash away the storm raging in my heart. I leaned against the cool tiles of the bathroom, gripping the sink's edge with trembling hands with the water from the shower washing over me. I looked at the mirror, my reflection staring back at me.I looked pale, drained, and tired. For the last few days, I have barely eaten, and I was thinking too much.What do I do now? Ryder’s words echoed relentlessly in my mind, his voice filled with emotion. “I miss us.”I felt the same way. I miss hearing his voice, I miss his teasing and flirts. I miss him so much but I can't stop the guilt in my chest. The guilt of missing him while Olivia was back. I felt like I stole her man from her. Many thoughts keep invading my head. What if? What if Ryder was really sorry?But what about me? What about the anguish I felt when he admitted he still loves Olivia? His betrayal had cut me deeper than I ever thought possible. I couldn’t just erase that pain b
Ophelia's pov“When Ryder told me he was getting married to Olivia years back, I was happy for him and wanted to meet Olivia, but I couldn't because my daughter gave birth, and I went to help her raise my grandchild. He changed, he was happy and more vibrant. But his happiness was short-lived when he lost his wife. I wanted to come back and be with Ryder because I know how disheartening it is to lose your spouse When I heard he married the quiet sister of his late wife, I was skeptical about you. I was concerned about Ryder, and that is why I came here to work for you.” She stopped and took both my hands in hers. “You were not close but I couldn't see some changes in him. You challenged him, and you didn't make it easy for him, and that is what made you special.I saw you care for Ryan like your son, I saw you made sure there was good on the table when Ryder came back from work. I saw you ask about Ryder's every day, and I told myself Ryder was in good hands.You are the best thing
Ophelia pov Olivia sat across us, staring at me and Ryder. After watching the show, I put Ryan to bed and we told Olivia we wanted to talk to her.I was ready to let her know everything but now I was nervous. I didn't know where to start from or how to begin.“You've got this,” Ryder whispered to me, squeezing my hand in comfort. I nodded before returning my attention to Olivia.“Erm, Olivia, there is something you should know,” I said, and her gaze shifted from me to Ryder before settling back on me.“Ryan is my son. You told me that already” Ryder looked at me. I didn't tell Ryder, I told Olivia about Ryan and that was because I felt guilty for hiding that.“No, that is not what we want to tell you. The thing is that…” I trailed off, my resolve breaking. The words felt heavy in my mouth. I looked at Ryder for assistance and he continued, “You were married before your accident”“I was married?” She asked as if trying to understand what she heard, “but how? Where is he? Does he know
Ophelia's pov Morning sunlight filtered through the windows, warming the room with its soft glow, but I felt none of its comfort. I had barely slept all night, tossing and turning all night, my thoughts consumed by Olivia’s reaction. I checked my phone for the time and frowned. She hadn’t returned last night.“She is probably just cooling off,” I murmured to myself, though my stomach churned uneasily. I was worried about her. Where Is she? Is she safe? I went about my morning tasks, preparing breakfast and getting Ryan ready for the day. But her thoughts were still heavy in my mind. Last night, things went from zero to 100 real quick, and she has been missing since last night.“She has been gone all night, Ophelia,” Ryder said as she was dressed for work already, his voice tight with concern. “We should call someone.”I shook my head, trying to remain calm. “She needs time, Ryder. We have to give her that.”“Time is one thing,” he countered. “But disappearing like this without a wo
Ophelia's pov Olivia's request kept repeating in my head even after leaving her room hours ago. She made it seem so easy like they were some sort of objects to move or possessionsMy eyes moved to Ryan who was playing with his toys. A smile made its way to my face as he struggled to get an unruly hair off his face. His face was irritated as he tried to brush it away from his sight but it kept falling back to his face. “Mama,” he cried in frustration. I wanted to help him but I continued watching in amusement. My phone buzzed, allowing me to take my eyes off Ryan and check my phone. It was a message from Ryder. There was an invitation photo and a message under it. “There is a welcome party being held this evening. You can take Ryder to your mum's place and get ready by 7, my driver will come and get you.”I read the message again and looked at Ryan. He had successfully removed the hair that was falling on his face, and his attention was back on his toys.An idea struck in my head.
Ryder povThe welcome party was already buzzing with energy when I arrived. The event was being held in one of the city's most prestigious venues. Grand chandeliers, polished floors, and the waiters were weaving through the crowd with trays of champagne. Yet, none of it registered in my mind. I was waiting for Ophelia.My meeting had run late, and I couldn't go back home to dress and come with Ophelia. I barely even had time to get dressed in my office before heading straight here. As I stepped inside, scanning the room for familiar faces, my thoughts were interrupted by Frank, my friend.“I only get to travel for a year and a lot has happened to you,” he said, taking a glass of wine from a waitress.“How are you doing man?” I asked, surprised to see him at the party.“Do you miss me?” He wiggled his eyebrows, sipping from his drink. I scoffed, “You were gone for too long”“Oh God you missed me,” he chuckled before drowning the rest of this drink.“Where is your new wife? Ophelia r
Ryder's povFor a moment, her question threw me off guard. Her gaze was softer now, curious rather than accusatory as if she genuinely wanted to know. I leaned against the railing, keeping a measured distance between us to ground myself while staring at the city from the balcony. The city lights skimmed below flickered like a thousand unspoken truths, and I found myself staring at them instead of her, unsure how to answer. “It felt…” I hesitated, searching for the right words as the words lodged between my thoughts and my lips. “It felt like everything I thought I wanted.” I finally admitted, turning back to meet her eyes.Her eyes searched mine, studying me, a flicker of something, hurt, maybe, crossing her features before she masked it with a faint, almost dismissive smile.“And now?” she asked, her tone deceptively light but her gaze piercing.“And now,” I said slowly, my throat tightening as the thoughts of Ophelia filled my mind “ Now, things are different.” She nodded, tu
Ophelia pov The house felt quieter than usual, but it wasn’t the peaceful kind of quiet. It was the kind that crawled under your skin, making you restless. Ryan was in his room sleeping while I sat on the couch with my phone in hand, staring at the screen. I debated calling Ryder. He hadn’t texted since leaving for the party nor had he called me. A part of me wanted to ask how things were going, but another part, the bigger part, feared his response.The decision to send her to the party was mine, but I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that it was a mistake. I told myself it was for her own good, a way to help her regain her memory, but deep down, I knew there was more to it. I was distancing myself, giving her space to him. Since she left for the party, my heart has been restless. I have been checking my phone, waiting for Ryder to call me but he hasn't. The idea of him enjoying himself with Olivia nagged me so much that I kept myself busy playing with Ryan. But Ryan was aslee
Ophelia's Pov I held my laugh as I glanced at Ryder who was laying on his floor but his legs and arm were coming out of the couch.I felt guilty of chasing him out of the bed but I had my reasons.I didn't want him to think I had entirely forgiven him and I was conscious of my body. I had gotten fatter and fuller.I removed the duvet and covered him with it before arranging the bed and going inside the closet to choose clothes to wear.There was nothing really to wear in my closet since they weren't maternity dresses. I pulled my box which I brought and opened it I haven't offloaded my bag since I came. The bags were taken to the house and when I needed clothes in the hospital, Ryder bought them for me.Removing a blue floral maternity dress from the bag, I left the closet and spread it on the bed with my undies.Ryder turned in his sleep, making the duvet fall off his body. Wanting to cook for the family after a long time and not wanting him to wake up meeting me in the room, I qu
Ryder's Pov Ophelia spent time with Ryan before putting him to sleep. I waited for her to lay Ryan to bed before we both headed to our room.When we stepped into the room, Ophelia headed straight for the bed, her hand resting on her stomach as she exhaled heavily. I shut the door behind me and watched her, waiting for her to say something to ease the tension within me. She didn't. "You okay?" I finally asked. She turned to face me, exhaustion evident in her eyes. "I am tired. My leg hurts,” I looked at her feet and saw it was slightly swollen.Kneeling on the floor, I took her leg and placed it on my thigh.“What are you doing?” She asked, taking her leg from my thigh. I put her leg back on my thigh. “I will give you a leg massage,” I said, applying pressure while rubbing and pressing her leg.“Thank you,” She said before closing her eyes and moaning.I smiled and continued to message her leg, seeing it was relieving her of the pain.After some while, she yawned.“Feeling s
Ophelia's Pov After dinner, I went to Olivia's door and knocked. She opened the door and walked back to the bed. I entered the room and shut the door behind me.“Can I sit?” I asked, standing in front of her.“You should. You are pregnant,” she looked at my stomach before dropping her gaze back down.I sat on the bed but my mind was in chaos. What should I start the conversation with?Should I start with, It has been a long time since we spoke or I am sorry?“You wanted to talk,” she said after some seconds.“I didn't see you at the hospital,” “I was giving you space and I didn't want to be the third wheel,” “Third wheel?” I asked, confused. “You were never a third wheel” “Is that what you came here for?” She asked, impatient.“I wanted to apologize for everything I cost you. I am so sorry. I don't know how and why I did it. It is still a memory to me…” I trailed off not knowing what to say.“You tried to kill me, Ophelia. Your sister. What if you had succeeded in killing me? I t
Ophelia's Pov Ryan was discharged after three days in the hospital. I haven't left the hospital in those three days. Ryder and Joe persuaded me to go to the house, rest, freshen, and ear, but I declined. I didn't want to leave Ryan's side.When they saw I wasn't going to leave, they stopped talking about me. Ryder made sure to bring new clothes and food for me every day, while Joe made sure to check up on me and my baby every day to make sure we were both doing well. He also spares his lunch break to keep me company.I haven't really seen Olivia since the day we met but I have heard her voice outside the room. There was a gap between us that was too large to cross for any of the two of us to cross, and I got it. What I did was unforgivable but I hope to get her forgiveness. The car pulled In front of the house, and I remained in my chair, staring at the house from the glass.Ryder came to the passenger's seat and carried Ryan in his arms. “Ophelia, are you not coming?” He asked
Ophelia's Pov I detached myself from Ryder's side and bent to Ryan's level.“Don't mind him. Will you eat now?” I asked, diverting his attention and he stopped.I helped him with his food, feeding him. Unlike his usual chattering and playing, he was very obedient and cooperative. My little boy had grown. I wish he could be like this forever.The nurses came to give him his medicine and check him up so Ryder and I moved out of the room.Olivia and Mum had gone home already, so it was just Ryder and me outside the door.“I am not your wife anymore,” I said after sitting down on the chair outside. “Don't lie to Ryan again,”I could feel his eyes on me. “I was not lying to him,” I scoffed, “You told him I was yours when, in fact, I am not. He should start knowing the truth,”“Even about his biological mother?” He asked and I turned to him.“I am still his mother. This doesn't change anything even as you have gotten back with Olivia. I love him as my own and I always will.” “We are not
Ophelia's Pov With my eyes closed, I tapped repeatedly on the bed, my other hand not leaving Ryan's hand.It looked like I was sleeping or at peace but I wasn't. My mind was racing with different thoughts.Ryder's confession still echoed in my head like a song played over and over again. I wanted to believe him, but doubt crept inside my heart like a shadow, whispering uncertainties. Was it real? Or was it just the heat of the moment, the emotions of him happy that he was doing to be a father? Was it just mere words to keep me from running again?He said he never loved me or felt anything towards me four months ago. Then what changed now? Why was he confessing love to me?I opened my eyes and turned my head slightly to look at Ryan. His tiny hand rested in mine, his face relaxed in deep sleep. He was my anchor, the only constant in all of this. I felt so guilty for leaving him behind like that, but I wasn't going to anymore. I had to be strong for him, no matter how much my heart w
Olivia's PovI clenched my fists so tight by my side that my nails bit into my palms. The sight before me, the way Ryder looked at Ophelia, his closeness with her and the way he confessed his feelings to her made my blood boil. I turned away from the door, my breath uneven. My plan had failed. Again. Everything I had done, every calculated move, every carefully placed doubt, it had all been for nothing. Ophelia still had him. She still had a way to get to him.Even after all these months, after my return, after everything I had orchestrated, Even when she left she had a hold on him and Ryan. That little brat didn't make it easy for me either. He was either throwing a tantrum, crying for Ophelia, or being too quiet.He was meant to bring me closer to Ryder, but instead, he was just useless, making me care for him all day.For a little boy, he was able to tell me and Ophelia apart.My body shook with anger, but I forced myself to breathe. I can’t lose my composure now. Losing cont
Ophelia's Pov Olivia walked up to Ryan to check up on me but Ryan's eyes still looked in my direction.When she saw that Ryan's eyes hadn't left mine, she turned and looked at me. I walked up to Ryan's bedside where Ryder and Olivia were standing.“Hey, baby. What do you need?” I asked bending to his lips to hear him.“Water,” he said and I nodded.“I will bring some for you now,” I straightened and went to the table in the room. I poured water from the jug into the cup and went back to him.I helped him drink the water before laying him back on the bed. He closed his eyes and I guess he went back to sleep.The room was suffocatingly silent, the weight of unspoken words pressing down on us like a thick fog. Beside me, Olivia's eyes bore into me, sharp with her expression unreadable. But for a moment I saw it— the flicker of something dark beneath her composed facade.Jealousy? Rage? Betrayal?Her gaze drifted to my belly once more, and I instinctively placed a protective hand over i
Ophelia's POVThe moment we landed in New York, reality hit me harder than ever. I was back. Back to the life I had run from and tried so hard to move on from, but yet here I was, stepping into it once again.There was a car waiting for us as we left the airport. From there, we headed straight to the hospital.The drive to the hospital was quiet, except for the occasional sound of Ryder drumming his fingers against his thigh. He was getting impatient but hiding it very well.I kept my hands folded in my lap, my mind racing. What if Ryan didn’t recognize me? What if he had changed so much that I wouldn’t recognize him? I knew it was just four months since I left but kids grow fast. What if he doesn't want to see me? The fear was suffocating.Above all, I was more scared for my baby. The pain he must be in. The discomfort he must be in. ‘I pray he is fine. I pray he shouldn't be in a critical condition’ I prayed silently in my heart with my fingers crossed.As the car rolled to a sto