Ryan's heart pounded in his chest as the weight of her words sank in.
It had never been about the pictures.
She believed him over the evidence that Delyth provided her of his betrayal.
She hadn't left him because of so petty misunderstanding, as he had assud ….
Rather, she had left because of him.
Because he never gave her enough reasons for her to stay. Because he never made her believe in the feeling he had for her in his heart.
He should have … but he didn't.
And that was his fault.
"Arwen, I —" he struggled, not knowing how he could confess the emotions that had taken root in his heart. After a mont of hesitation, he finally said, "Delyth and I never had anything like what was shown in that picture. Even if we went out that evening, it was just a dinner. I don't know what happened after … but when I woke up, I was there on the bed with her. But believe , nothing happened between us. If it had, I would have known and —"
Before he could say more, Arwen interrupted to ask him.
"It was Delyth who did it?" her voice calm, almost indifferent. Though she was certain of it, she phrased it as a question —not to start a debate but to see if Ryan had any other conclusions.
But when she noticed him avoiding her gaze, his silence speaking volus, she knew.
He was already aware of the truth.
Delyth's truth.
A sharp incredulous smile tugged at her lips as she shook her head in disbelief.
"So, you knew it was her." she exhaled a quiet humorless laugh. "Yet you … Wait, I am not even surprised. No matter what she does, Ryan Foster is going to support her anyway, isn't he?"
Ryan shook his head. "No, it's not that," he tried to explain, but faltered miserably. "Arwen, you are getting it wrong. Delyth is not what you think she is to . She is nothing —just a responsibility. I only take care of her because of the promise I made to her brother. She is not the woman I love; it's you."
He paused, suddenly realizing what he had just said.
Amid his explanations, he had confessed his feelings.
He stared at her, his chest tightening as he nodded.
"Arwen, if there is a woman I truly love, that's you. I love you. Not Delyth, not anyone —just you."
He inhaled sharply, his voice raw with sincerity. "I didn't realize this before, but the day you walked away, I realized I have already fallen for you a long ti ago. If you ask when, I might not be able to tell you. Because I don't know when exactly those emotions seeped into my heart. I only know that I felt it the mont you stopped looking at the way you used to."
His confession himg in the air between them.
And yet, in front of his words, Arwen stood unmoved, unfazed.
"You say you have feelings for ," she asked calmly, watching him closely.
Ryan nodded, conviction in his gaze.
"How are you going to prove it?"
She asked and that question imdiately caught Ryan off-guard.
She asked him how was he going to prove it … prove his love for her.
Doesn't that an … she was willing to give him a chance?
As long as he proved his sincerity and love to her, would she … co back?
Hope flickered in his eyes. His heart, which had been weighed down by despair, lifted. He hadn't even realized how much he had wanted this silver of hope until it was there. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire
"I love you, Arwen," he said, his voice urgent. "Will you believe it if I swear it to you?"
He moved to raise three fingers, ready to swear his love, his devotion —
But Arwen shook her head.
"We aren't living in the era where re words from one person can make soone believe or trust," she said, chuckling humorlessly. "And Ryan … you are not a saint. Why would I believe you just because you say so?"
Ryan's brows knitted. "Then how else can I make you believe?" he asked, desperation creeping into his tone. He was willing to do anything —to go to the ends of the Earth if that was what it took.
Arwen stared at him for a long mont.
And then, after what felt like an eternity, she finally said, "To be honest, there is no way I would ever believe it."
Her voice steady and unshaken.
"Because there is nothing to believe in the first place."
Ryan's breath caught.
"You only realized your love for the day I left you. That doesn't an it was love," she continued. "It only ans that it's an obsession —an obsession you developed for after I left. You don't love , Ryan. You just miss having soone to humiliate. To embarrass. To use as your personal entertainnt."
Her words were like daggers, sharp and precise.
And Ryan knew —he couldn't refute them.
Because they were true.
All he had ever done was humiliate her. He didn't even know why he used to find satisfaction in it, but now…
Now, all it did was haunt him.
His silence stretched between them, think with the weight of his guilt.
"What should I do, Arwen?" he finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He felt like he was losing again —losing her.
It was true. He had never given her a reason to believe in his love.
Arwen's expression remained unreadable. "I don't know," she admitted, because truly didn't know what can make her believe Ryan.
Maybe, nothing. Because she didn't want to believe him at all. It seed of no use. However, there was sothing that she that could prove one thing for sure.
Her gaze flickered with a thought and without thinking about it twice, she spoke, "But there is sothing that I do want to ask you. If you can give the answer, I might —"
Ryan imdiately agreed. "Ask ," he said with conviction laced in his tone. "As long as it can make you believe and my love for you, I will answer it all."
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