Chapter 367
Chapter 367:
His body stiffened. His lips parted, but nothing came out.
Kailey didn’t waver. “I need to wake up early tomorrow, so I’ll hang up now. If you have time, go see your mom. She arrived in Aslesall this afternoon p>
With that, she ended the call and placed the phone face down on the nightstand, as if sealing away memories she no longer needed to revisit.
On the other side of the line, Ryan remained where he was, unmoving, the phone still pressed against his ear. Only when something warm slid down his cheek did he realize he was crying.
Was that a tear?
A dry, humorless laugh left him as he loosened his collar and sank downward until his back hit the balcony railing, his body folding in on itself.
𝘞𝖾 𝗎𝗉𝖽𝗮𝘵е е𝘷𝗲𝘳у 𝘸е𝘦𝘬 𝘰𝗻
For almost a month, he had cut himself off from everyone except his secretary, believing isolation would sort out his thoughts. Instead, Kailey had taken over every corner of his mind. He saw her laughing the way she used to when they were younger—light and unguarded. He remembered the quiet ache in her eyes each time he dismissed her feelings. Worst of all was how her gaze had changed over the years, growing distant little by little until he could no longer reach her.
He had spent years trapped between responsibility and longing, between what the world demanded and what his heart stubbornly refused to release. Even admitting it now filled him with disgust toward himself. Still, no matter how often he told himself to stop, he couldn’t. She followed him into his dreams like an obsession he couldn’t shake.
Recently, Olivia had called nonstop. She had even gone as far as bribing his secretary just to get close to him. Yet every attempt only left him more irritated.
Why was that? Why had it come to this?
Hadn’t Olivia once been the person he loved most? They had shared countless memories. In his reckless youth, she had been the only one he thought mattered. And yet, even if someone asked how painful it had been when Olivia walked away back then, it wouldn’t come close to what he felt now.
At that time, Kailey had still been young. When she heard he and Olivia had broken up, she had been openly delighted, tugging him out that same night for a drive beneath the moon, laughing as the countryside rolled past them.
Even now, it was still Kailey.
Did this count as retribution for all the years he had ignored her feelings?
Ryan covered his face with both hands. A crushing ache spread through his chest, heavy and relentless, pressing down until breathing felt like effort.
After hanging up on Ryan, Kailey expected a restless night. Instead, sleep came easily. Knowing she needed to wake early, she put her things away, climbed into bed, and closed her eyes without lingering on anything else.
Before the sky fully lightened, voices sounded outside the door.
Felicity and Julissa arrived together, bringing the makeup artist with them.