Chapter 399
Chapter 399:
When they arrived at the station, Kailey spotted someone familiar before they even stepped inside — Ryan.
Her fingers tightened around Kyson’s hand. Drawing strength from his steady presence, she walked forward without hesitation.
Inside, an officer was explaining the case to Ryan. Olivia had broken into someone’s home, damaged property deliberately, and attempted to hurt someone. The charges were serious. A lengthy prison sentence was likely. And her career was finished.
As Kailey stepped in, several heads turned toward her. She stopped short. For a moment, she didn’t recognize the man in front of her. Ryan no longer looked like the composed and dignified person she remembered.
His hair was disheveled and shot through with grey. His beard was uneven. His clothes hung loosely from his frame. He looked tired and worn, like a man who had nowhere left to go.
“Uncle.” Kailey forced her voice steady even though her throat felt tight. “Olivia asked to see me p>
𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗻
Ryan didn’t answer right away. He hadn’t slept properly in over a month. His eyes were bloodshot, and exhaustion clung to every line of his face. His gaze moved from her to the man standing beside her.
No matter how much it pained him, he couldn’t deny it. They suited each other.
He swallowed the bitterness rising in his chest. When he finally spoke, his voice came out rough. “Go see her. She owes you an apology p>
It was almost laughable, hearing such words from Ryan for the first time. But what difference would it make? What had happened couldn’t be undone. Even a thousand apologies wouldn’t erase it.
Strangely, her resentment didn’t feel as sharp anymore. She gave him a calm smile. “We’re going in now p>
Kyson hadn’t said a word the entire time. As they walked toward the door, Kailey stayed slightly ahead, still holding his hand as if shielding him from something — the gesture almost protective. He remained quiet, but when they passed Ryan, he lifted their joined hands deliberately and flashed a faint, provocative smile.
Those few steps felt like crossing a boundary that could never be uncrossed.
Ryan watched as the young woman he had raised walked forward with another man. She scrunched her nose and complained about something in a lighthearted way. The man beside her listened without impatience, leaning down to murmur a reply that made her laugh at once.
Ryan remembered there had been a time when she had looked at him like that. Now it felt like a memory from someone else’s life.
He searched through his thoughts. Had he ever been that patient with her? Had he ever stood beside her the way that man just had? Was she so disappointed in him that she had chosen someone else without a moment’s hesitation?
He shut his eyes tightly. The emotion pressing against his chest wouldn’t quiet down. No matter how hard he tried to contain it, the ache refused to fade.
Kailey followed the officer down the hallway. Before stepping inside, she handed her bag to Kyson and went in alone.