Chapter 4
Ten slaps.
Twenty-three.
Blood ran down Thea’s chin, everything going fuzzy.
Nobody was laughing at Lyra anymore. Ryan had made his statement-he was the guy in that video, and Lyra was his everything.
Through the pain, Thea remembered two years ago when he’d protected her just like this.
Ryan had just hit it big, the media’s new golden boy.
Then they found out Thea was a janitor’s daughter. Called her gold-digging trash who didn’t deserve him.
Ryan destroyed them. Bankrupted news outlets one
by
That man who’d burned the world down to protect her,
Now only belongs to Lyra now.
Thirty-eight.
Forty-one.
Eventually, Thea lost count.
M
one until they were too scared to mention her name.
When the next slap came, her legs gave out and she crumpled to the floor.
Whispers floated around her.
“Guess the ex always wins in the end.”
“Still messed up though…Anyway It’s her anniversary party and the guests are beating her up…”
Thea started laughing. Laughing until tears mixed with blood and everything went black.
Ryan… how did I ever fall for you?
Seven years of my life. Worth absolutely nothing.
In the hospital room.
Thea woke up to pain shooting through her face.
Then she saw Ryan sat beside her bed.
She was hooked up to an IV, her cheeks swollen and burning.
“Lyra’s morning sickness is getting worse. She can only keep down that soup you make.” Ryan frowned. “I’m taking you home.”
Of course. That’s the only reason he was here.
“What you did yesterday was way out of line. That video could’ve ruined Lyra’s reputation. She’s pregnant-she can’t handle that kind of stress.”
Thea’s chest tightened like someone was squeezing her heart.
Lyra throwing herself at him wasn’t out of line. Killing her mother wasn’t out of line. Framing her and getting her pushed down the stairs wasn’t out of line. Having guests slap her around wasn’t out of line…..
But somehow she was the one who’d gone too far. For something she didn’t even do.
16-
Thea had a million things she wanted to scream at him. Instead, she croaked out:
“Tine. I’ll make soup.”
But at her words, Ryan froze.
He’d wanted her to obey, but now that she had, something dark twisted in his chest.
Thea sat up slowly and yanked out the IV needle. Blood dripped onto the white sheets.
He grabbed her hand, frowning with what looked like concern.
“You need to finish the IV first…”
Thea let out a bitter laugh. “Can’t keep your precious Lyra waiting, can
we?”
After a beat, Ryan dropped her hand.
“Your soup’s the only thing she can keep down. The chef c
can’t make
I’ll bring you back to the hospital later.”
Thea followed him out without a word.
Her soup was good, huh?
www
Back when he was starting out, she’d worried he wasn’t eating enough. He was picky as hell, so she’d worked for free at his favorite restaurant just to learn their recipes.
Never thought the skills she’d learned for him would end up feeding his mistress.
Back home, Thea went straight to the kitchen to make the herbal pork rib soup Lyra was craving.
She reached for rubber gloves to peel the Chinese yam when the door swung open.
“Don’t use those! The rubber smell makes me sick.” Lyra wrinkled her nose.
“I’m allergic to yam.”
“Ryan…” Lyra pouted at him like a hurt puppy.
Ryan’s voice carried that familiar edge of annoyance. “Thea. Can’t you just deal with it this once?”
Thea said nothing. She set the gloves aside and started peeling with her bare hands.
Lyra grabbed Ryan’s arm and headed out, snatching the gloves on her way.
Thea’s hands immediately started burning and itching like crazy. She gritted her teeth, threw the ingredients in the pot, and dumped in the second vial.
“Thea.”
Ryan’s voice cut through the silence. Thea’s breath caught.
Her hand froze mid-air, still holding the empty bottle.
