Ryan’s POV
I gripped my phone, staring at the empty room . Damn it.
She’d actually done it—moved out without even having the decency to tell face to face.
My knuckles turned white as I pressed the call button, listening to the ring with mounting frustration.
"Did you seriously just move out without telling ?" I kept my voice tight, controlled, though rage bubbled just beneath the surface.
"I left a note," Serena replied, her tone infuriatingly casual. "The Holly situation has died down enough. I need my own space."
"Serena, that’s not—" I stopped myself, taking a deep breath to calm down. Getting angry wouldn’t help. "Fine. But my security team stays with you."
"I don’t need babysitters," she shot back.
"It’s not negotiable," I said firmly, leaving no room for argunt. "Not after what happened at your studio."
The silence on the other end told she was rembering that horrific incident too. Finally, she spoke.
"Fine," she conceded. "But they stay outside. I won’t have them hovering over in my apartnt."
"Agreed." Relief washed through . At least she wasn’t fighting on this. "How are you feeling? Is the baby—"
"We’re both fine," she cut off coldly. "I need to go. I have work to finish."
I was about to press further when another call ca through. Sophie’s na flashed on the screen. Fucking perfect timing.
"Ryan, he found again!" Her voice was shrill with panic.
I imdiately straightened, tension flooding back into my body. "Where are you? Where’s my security team?" I demanded, jaw tightening. I’d specifically assigned n to watch her apartnt.
"I...I ca ho to get so things. I don’t know how he got in!" Her sobs pierced through the phone. "Please—"
Then ca a sickening thud, followed by dead silence.
"Sophie?" My chest constricted as the line went dead.
Goddammit. I grabbed my keys and headed for the garage. This wasn’t how I planned to spend my evening—I’d intended to talk with Serena, to try to understand why she’d left so abruptly. Now that would have to wait.
Twenty minutes later, I was at Sophie’s door. My security team stood outside looking sheepish, claiming they’d been instructed to stay in the lobby. Idiots. I pushed past them and found the apartnt door unlocked.
Sophie was huddled in a corner, trembling, her cheek bright red with what looked like a fresh slap mark. "Ryan...please help ," she whimpered.
A man stood over her, belt in hand, his face twisted with rage. He turned toward , eyes narrowing.
"Who the fuck are you to interfere?" he snarled, snapping the belt against the floor with a crack that made Sophie flinch. "Her old boyfriend?"
Sophie spat back at him, "Ryan and I were never like that! Don’t you dare suggest—"
"Oh, protecting him, are we?" The man laughed cruelly, raising the belt again. "Let’s see how he likes watching this."
He swung the belt toward Sophie’s cowering form. I moved fast, grabbing his wrist mid-swing.
"Enough," I growled, squeezing until he winced. "Breaking and entering. Assault. Should I continue listing the charges while you call the police?" I directed this last part to Sophie.
The man yanked his hand free, surprisingly strong. "Police? Go ahead. She’s still my wife."
He pulled out a marriage certificate with Sophie’s na clearly visible. I glanced at Sophie, my expression hardening. She’d told about her "ex-husband"—apparently that was another lie.
"Ryan, it’s not what you think!" Sophie crawled toward , clutching the back of my jacket. "He forced to sign! He threatened to kill if I left!"
Her entire body shook as she hid behind . "The police won’t help—he has connections. They’ll release him, and he’ll co after again."
Sophie’s voice cracked with desperation. "Please don’t leave here. Take with you."
"Sophie, you’re quite the little seductress, aren’t you?" the man—her husband—sneered. "Who’s this one? Another rich sucker?"
"Shut your mouth, Derek," Sophie snapped, surprising with her vehence. "Don’t you dare talk about Ryan that way."
Derek’s smile turned sinister, his eyes cold and reptilian. "Neither of you is walking out of here today. And Sophie—you can run to the ends of the earth, but I’ll always find you."
Sothing in his eyes made my skin crawl—pure malice, no humanity. I’d seen that look before in business rivals I’d destroyed. This wasn’t a man who made idle threats.
I’d had enough of this circus.
"You have three days to get out of this city," I told him, voice dangerously low. "If I see your face after that, you’ll regret it."
"I’m showing restraint today. Don’t mistake it for weakness. Leave. Now."
On cue, four of my security team entered the apartnt, surrounding Derek. He glared but knew he was outnumbered.
I led Sophie out without another glance at him, my hand firm on her elbow. She was shaking so badly I could feel it through her sleeve.
Only when we reached my car did she seem to breathe again, collapsing into the passenger seat.
"Ryan, thank you," she whispered, wiping at her tears. "I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t co."
She looked up at , eyes red-rimd and frightened. "I’m terrified he’ll co back. Could I...could I please stay at the Blackwood estate? Just for a little while?"
When I hesitated, she rushed to add, "I promise I won’t cause any trouble. And I won’t let Serena misunderstand. I know you two are together."
I looked at her bruised face, the way her hands wouldn’t stop trembling. Against my better judgnt, I nodded.
"I’ll have soone take you there. And don’t co to work for a few days."
Relief washed over her face. "Thank you, Ryan. You’re saving my life."
I nodded stiffly, already planning to call Serena later to explain everything. The last thing I needed was for her to get jealous or for us to fight over Sophie’s presence at the estate.
As I watched Sophie being driven away in one of my cars, sothing nagged at —the timing of it all, the convenient distress call right when I was about to reach out to Serena.
But I dismissed the thought almost imdiately. I’d seen the terror in Sophie’s eyes, felt her body trembling against mine. No one was that good an actress.
I’d deal with Serena first, then figure out what to do about Sophie’s situation. One fire at a ti.
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