Chapter 31

By the time they arrived home, she felt drained, both emotionally and physically. She went straight to their bedroom, collapsing onto the bed, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Ryan followed her, standing at the doorway with his arms folded.

After a few moments, he walked over and sat beside her.Iris looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy.

“Why do they hate me so much?” she whispered. “What did I do wrong?”Ryan sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

“You did nothing wrong. They’re just... difficult,” he said. “But you don’t deserve to be treated that way.”

Iris leaned into his embrace, feeling a glimmer of hope despite the night’s events. It wasn’t much, but knowing Ryan was on her side gave her the strength to keep going.

“Thank you, Ryan,” she whispered. “That means a lot.”He kissed her forehead, a tender gesture that momentarily made her feel safe, even loved.

Yet the doubt still lingered in her mind. Could she truly endure the cold cruelty of his family forev