The firm is hosting a charity gala.35Please respect copyright.PENANA9eudk1ZOWz
Tuxedos. Velvet gowns. Flashing camera bulbs.35Please respect copyright.PENANAFhRFFBlRcz
A night meant for handshakes and champagne. Not ghosts.
Samantha wears a sleek black dress with an off-shoulder neckline. Ryan can't take his eyes off her. He hasn't even touched her yet—but every look says he wants to.
"You sure you're ready for this?" she whispers before they enter the ballroom.
"I'm more afraid of you saying no to dessert than I am of my past," he smirks.
But when they walk in, Isabel's sister is already there.
Amara Santiago. Cold smile. Designer heels.35Please respect copyright.PENANABg6Cz51vR8
She's talking to two execs from a rival firm, glancing at Ryan like she's got a secret weapon tucked in her clutch.
When she finally approaches, she greets Ryan like an old friend—one she outgrew.
"Ryan," she says, falsely warm. "Still collecting projects you can fix?"
He tenses. Samantha steps forward, eyes calm. "We're not doing this here."
Amara turns to her, eyes gleaming. "You must be the latest. Good luck. He loves hard, but he loves wrong."
Samantha smiles.
But it's not kind.
It's steel wrapped in velvet.
"Ryan doesn't need luck. He needs honesty. Which is something you clearly wouldn't recognize even if it wore heels and attended charity events."
Amara's face twitches.
"I get it," Sam adds. "You're hurting. But don't confuse love with control. He's not your villain just because he didn't become your savior."
She threads her fingers with Ryan's.
"And I'm not your enemy just because he's happy."
Amara walks away.
No scene. No tantrum.
Just defeat.
Later, Ryan pulls Samantha into a quieter part of the venue. The buzz of the crowd fades behind a column of ivy and lanterns.
"You didn't have to say all that," he says quietly.
She shrugs. "You've carried enough weight for people who never saw you."
Then she touches his chest, right over his heartbeat.
"I see you."
And that moment?
That's when Ryan knows—this love isn't about saving or being saved.35Please respect copyright.PENANAVZLfSNBZ2Y
It's about finally being chosen without conditions.
35Please respect copyright.PENANAsRS2wHCbdk