Chapter 16
Chapter 16:
Shortly after, Ryan slid back into the driver’s seat, his eyes briefly finding Kailey’s in the mirror with a look that made clear a lecture was coming.
When they reached home, Kailey stepped out with measured calm. No sooner had they walked inside than Ryan turned on her, his tone sharp. “Kailey, how many times do I have to say it—if you have a problem, bring it to me directly. What was that attitude in the car just now p>
“What attitude?” Kailey held his gaze, steady and unblinking. “I wasn’t laughing at her p>
“Then what was so funny p>
She hesitated. There was no way she could admit she had been smiling at Kyson’s playful message about having a baby. If Ryan heard that, he would never let it go. Her silence only darkened his expression.
“Since you won’t say, let me be clear—I am your uncle, Kailey, and that is all I will ever be to you. Do you understand p>
𝗠𝘰𝗋е 𝘯𝘰𝘷еl𝘴 𝘰𝘯.с𝗼𝗺
She had heard those words before, and each time they had left a dull ache. This time, though, it barely stung. It simply left her numb.
She met his gaze with cool detachment and replied, “Don’t worry. I know exactly where I stand, and I’ll never step out of line again p>
Those were the exact words Ryan had been expecting. Still, something about the steady calm in Kailey’s eyes made emotion rise sharply in his chest, catching him off guard.
He turned his head away. “Go rest. And stop causing trouble all the time p>
Kailey stared after him, a strange mixture of disbelief and amusement turning over inside her.
She had only attended a friend’s celebration without telling him, and she had laughed at an inopportune moment while Olivia was complaining—yet somehow that alone was enough for him to call her troublesome.
In the past, no matter how bold or reckless she appeared to others, she had always been compliant before him. If he told her to do something, she did it. If he wanted her to keep her distance from someone, she obeyed without question and never argued back.
But that version of herself was gone. From now on, she would simply live as who she was.
After that tense exchange, Kailey didn’t see Ryan again for several days. She stayed busy instead. Graduation had everyone scrambling to prepare for their next chapter, and she spent the time attending farewell dinners with classmates before finally turning her attention to packing.
After living in this house for so long, she had accumulated far too much. Taking everything was out of the question. She decided to keep only what she truly needed and donate the rest. Soon enough, Olivia would likely move in, and the couple would not want any trace of her left behind.
Kailey gathered boxes, then spread her clothes across the bed and began folding them carefully into her suitcase. Soft music drifted through the room, and to her own surprise, she felt lighter than she had in weeks.
She was nearly finished when a familiar voice came from the doorway. “Why are you packing p>