All Chapters of Hired Fiance: Chapter 221 - Chapter 230

Emma's POV Ryan’s face twisted with something I didn't understand—regret, maybe. He ran a hand through his hair, the tension in his posture was tightening as if it was taking everything in him to stay standing. “I thought I could keep you close by pretending you didn’t mean as much to me,” he continued, his voice raw with emotion. “But all I did was push you further away. I was an idiot. I was scared. You were this bright, beautiful thing, and I didn’t know how to show it. I was too scared to say anything." My breath was caught in my throat. He was scared? Ryan—the man who always seemed so confident, so sure of himself—was afraid? Of me?"And by the time I realized what I’d done, it was too late. And then, the scandal happened." I flinched at the mention of it, I wanted to say something, anything, but the words didn't come out. The room felt impossibly small like there was no space to breathe between the past and everything he had just revealed.I felt like the air had been sucked

Emma's POV And that confused me more than anything.“Why didn't you destroy my dad?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “After everything... why didn’t you? It was your main motive right?"Ryan’s expression softened, and he stepped closer, his voice gentle. “Because Emma... I didn’t want revenge. I just wanted you.”I looked down, my mind spinning. Maybe... maybe he wasn’t lying. Maybe everything I thought I knew was wrong. But even if that was true, even if he wasn’t the villain I had made him out to be, I wasn’t sure I could let myself fall for him again. Not when the stakes are so much higher now.Because if he betrayed me this time, it wouldn’t just be my heart at risk. It would be James’s life, our future.Ryan's POV I was close enough now to reach out, but I hesitated. Every instinct in me wanted to close the gap between us, to touch her, to remind her that we were once something more than this. But I knew better than to push too hard.She looked up at me, and for a mom

Emma's POV Back at home, after the party had ended and James had been tucked into bed, Ryan and I found ourselves in the living room, surrounded by boxes and bags. We had begun the slow process of packing up James’ things and preparing for the move, but there was a bittersweetness to it all—especially for Ryan.He sat on the floor, sifting through old toys, baby clothes, and photos, a quiet melancholy settling over him. I watched from the sofa as he held up a tiny pair of shoes, his thumb brushing over the worn leather with a tenderness that made my heart ache.“I missed so much,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “All these little moments... I wasn’t there.”I didn’t know what to say. What could I say? He was right. He had missed it all—James’ first steps, his first words, his first day at school. And though I had my reasons for keeping James from him, seeing the pain in his eyes now made me question whether I had done the right thing.Ryan picked up a small toy car, one of James’

Emma's POV The air was thick with anticipation as Ryan’s sleek black car glided smoothly toward the private airfield. I could see the glimmer of excitement in James’ eyes as he gazed out the window, the morning sun casting playful streaks of light across his face. He had been looking forward to this trip ever since Ryan told him that we would go back to his home, and although I knew the journey would be special, Ryan had kept the details hidden. His usual enigmatic way.But I knew something more was in store, something Ryan hadn’t told either of us. My suspicions were confirmed when the car veered off the main road and onto a narrower path that led us to an exclusive airstrip. My breath hitched as I caught sight of a majestic private jet sitting quietly on the tarmac, its wings stretching confidently toward the horizon. It had a logo of his company. Before I could even react, James’s eyes grew impossibly wide, his mouth forming a perfect 'O'. "Is that…? Are we…?" He could barely get

Emma's POV Ryan had befriended George initially to get close to me, and while George had been nothing but supportive of me during the more tumultuous moments of my life, I knew he still harbored a certain degree of annoyance towards Ryan. He hadn’t forgiven him entirely for how things had unraveled between us back then, and though George was never one to be openly confrontational, I could sense the simmering tension just beneath the surface.I braced myself for an awkward interaction, but Ryan, ever the charmer when he wanted to be, seemed to anticipate the tension as well. He extended a hand toward George with a genuine smile.“It’s good to see you again, George. Been a while.”George hesitated for just a moment before clasping Ryan’s hand. “Yeah, it has.” His voice was cordial, but there was an edge to it. .Ryan, to his credit, didn’t miss a beat. “George, relax! I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but I think we can put that behind us as things were not as it looked li