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 PovI sat in the interrogation room waiting for the officers to bring Olivia out.The sound of the door opening reached my ear, and I saw Olivia enter the room.My eyes met mine immediately, and I offered a little smile, which she returned forcefully.“Hi,” I said as she took her seat.“How are you doing?” I asked and she shook her head.“Shitty,” she replied and I nodded, looking down my fingers.“I know. It isn't the best place to be in,”“Are you finding means to get me out?” She asked.“Not yet—,”“Why?” She interrupted me with her voice harsh. I looked into her eyes, and for the first time, I saw something I had not noticed before.Anger.“Olivia, why?” I asked, maintaining eye contact with her. I watch her eyes transition from anger to confusion.“What?”“Why did you do all of these? Why did you hurt your family? Why did you hurt me?” She didn't reply to me; she only held my gaze for a few seconds.“Do what, Ophelia. You and Ryder should find out how to get me out of
Ophelia's Pov Three million dollars.The amount kept ringing in my head. The amount was huge. Why did she take a loan of that amount and what did she use it for?“Got it,” Dave said and gave me his phone.I read through her information, and every line I read got me more confused.I looked up from the phone back to Ryder. “How is this all true?”“There are pictures to prove it; scroll down,” Dave said, and I did as he said.There were a few pictures of her, from old to recent, but a picture caught my eye, and I zoomed in on the picture.The cloth. It looks familiar. I went to the search bar and typed my name. Many articles popped up, but I went to the videos and searched for the video of that day's accident. There was no video of the accident on the web. But I saw it while I was in Brazil.At that moment, Ryder came down and I turned to him immediately.“Ryder, the accident video is not on the web anymore,”“Yes, I took them all down,” he said, sitting down next to me. “Why?” he a
Ophelia's Pov As I watched the video, I felt a strangling knot in my stomach.Paul was on the call with someone as he placed about.“Did you do everything I asked you to?” He asked the person on the other side.“Listen to me. Go to my place and do exactly as I instruct you unless the boy dies,”“Talk to you later, Olivia. I have to feed the boy,”On hearing Olivia's name, the knot in my stomach tightened.I turned to Ryder.“She knew,” I said and he nodded.“That is the only evidence we got that the kidnapping is tied to Olivia,”Wow.“I need time to process this,” I stood up and walked to our room.I lay on the bed and closed my eyes, wishing that what I saw would disappear, but it only got clearer.I knew Olivia was tied to it one way or the other but confirming it now was hurting me more than I thought.After some time, I felt fatigue slowly kicked in and I slept off.******Waking up from the bed, I stood up and went to the bathroom to wash my face before leaving the room.I went
Ophelia's Pov Desmond and Ryder were checking all the CCTV cameras around the side where we found Ryan.They are looking for any connection with Olivia.I was with Ryan as he played with his toys. His little fingers moved busily as he stacked colorful blocks on top of each other. His soft giggles filled the room.I felt my phone vibrate beside me and I removed my eyes from Ryan to my phone.I saw 5 missed calls from Dave. When did he call that I didn't pick up? My brows furrowed. I looked at Ryan to make sure he was alright before calling him back.“Hi,” “Ophelia, are you alright?” He asked directly.“Yes, I am. How is Lily?” I asked.“She is fine. We are married,” the line went silent after that.The words settled in, a strange tightness forming in my chest.“Erm,” I cleared my throat. “That is good; I am happy for both of you,” I said, my voice coming out tighter than I intended.“Ophelia, I—”“It is okay.” I cut in, forcing a small smile even though he couldn’t see it. “You are
Ophelia's Pov A heavy silence fell over the room. The implications of what we had just uncovered were unsettling. Could Olivia have orchestrated Ryan’s kidnapping? Why would she do that if she did?I glanced at Ryder, his jaw tight, his hands clenched into fists. His expression was unreadable, but I could sense the storm brewing beneath the surface. Gina sat stiffly on the couch, her fingers twisting together. “I— I don’t want to believe it,” she whispered. “But if she could do this to Ryan, what else is she capable of doing?” Ryder exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face. “If Olivia did this… If she put our son in danger…” His voice trailed off, but the quiet fury in his tone was unmistakable. “She faked her death and framed me, what else can she not do?” I asked aloud, trying the grasp the realization we just made.A cold shiver ran down my spine. Olivia had always been manipulative, but would she really go that far? To harm an innocent child? Her biological child?
Ryder's Pov As I drove back home, the ride home was quiet, but not in an uncomfortable way. It was a silence thick with unspoken emotions, a silence filled with thoughts and neither of us knew how to voice out yet.Ryan had fallen asleep in the backseat, his small head resting against the car seat, his little chest rising and falling in steady breaths. I glanced at him through the rearview mirror before shifting my gaze to Ophelia who was sitting in the passenger seat. She was staring out of the window, her fingers gently tracing her belly, lost in thought. The breeze from the window fanned against her face making her hair cover her face.I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. I had seen my child today. I had heard the heartbeat. The heartwarming and rhythmic heartbeat.It was not just a concept or just an obligation, it was an actual tiny human, with a heartbeat strong and steady, with little hands that had moved.It was the life growing inside of Ophelia. I swallowed
Ophelia's Pov The air in Joe’s office was thick with tension as the two of them had a stare-down. Ryder’s grip on Joe’s hand was firm, too firm and while Joe maintained a professional posture, I could see the way his jaw tightened ever so slightly.I shifted uncomfortably, moving Ryan in my lap to adjust him as I glanced between them. "Joe was a great help to me when I had no one else," I said quietly, attempting to ease whatever silent conflict was occurring between the both of them. Ryder was the first to release Joe's hand but didn't lean back to his seat. His expression was still stoic, his eyes fixed on the doctor as though looking for something.Joe, though, just nodded and leaned back in his chair. "I can understand why you would this way, Mr. Smith. But Ophelia was in a difficult spot at the time. I simply did what I thought was best to keep her and the baby safe."Ryder's jaw tightened, but he said nothing, his eyes still trained on Joe.I coughed to clear my throat becaus
Ophelia's Pov I snuggled closer to Ryder but found the bed empty. I sat up from the bed rubbing my eyes. The last I could remember was in Ryder's arms in the bathtub. I must have fallen asleep and he carried me to the bed. I looked down to my body and I was wearing his shirt and boxers.I flung my feet to the floor and stood up from the bed. I went into the bathroom and did my business. I went inside the closet and chose the clothes to wear. Standing in front of the mirror, I stared at my reflection.I looked better than the nights before and my bump was bigger. I put a reminder in mind to visit the hospital. I would be due in a few weeks time and I needed to be very careful. I dressed and left the room, closing the door behind me. Before getting to the living room, I could smell something coming from the kitchen. The smell was faint at first but it grew stronger as I moved closer to the living room. It wasn't until I reached the living room and looked into the kitchen that I di
Ophelia's Pov The silence of the moment enveloped us, and for the first time in days, I could finally breathe. Ryder's presence was an anchor, it was grounding me in the center of the hurricane I could feel brewing inside. I leaned back against him, allowing the warmth of the water and the strong beat of his heart to fill the empty spaces in my head. The weight of my worry didn't lift from me, but for a moment, it was easier to carry."I don't know what to do, Ryder," I panted, the words tumbling out before I could catch them. "I keep thinking about Olivia most of the time, I keep thinking about all of it. I don't even know her anymore."Ryder's arms wrapped me close, pulling me more against him, giving me the unspoken reassurance of his presence. I attempted to steady my breath, keeping my eyes shut, but uncertainty within me was cruel. Olivia was changing before my own eyes, and I was uncertain how to relate to her anymore.The woman who spoke to me wasn't the Olivia I grew up w