Chapter 5
Chapter 5:
Ryan’s eyebrows lifted, caught off guard by how quickly she accepted his words. She only ever addressed him so formally when she was seeking forgiveness after causing trouble—and she always argued back.
Convinced that Kailey had finally come around, his expression softened. “You know, Olivia goes out of her way to be kind to you. She even made breakfast this morning. Try not to be so cold toward her, alright p>
Kailey almost thought that even without Olivia, Ryan would have cooked himself. Besides, food was the last thing on her mind. She kept that to herself and replied evenly, “Alright. I’ll get along with her p>
The shift in her attitude seemed to unsettle him. He watched her for a long moment, as if searching for something more to say, before finally asking, “Why didn’t you come last night p>
Yesterday had been his twenty-eighth birthday. Kailey had gone to the club, but never made it into the private room.
𝗗i𝘴𝗰𝗈𝗏𝗲𝗋 ոе𝘄 𝘴to𝘳𝗶𝖾𝘴 𝗈𝗻 𝗴аlո𝘰v𝘦𝗅ѕ.с𝗼m
After a brief pause, she answered quietly, “There was a seminar at school that ran late. I was exhausted, so I went straight home. Happy birthday, Uncle Ryan.” All she wanted now was to tie up loose ends and move on quietly. There was nothing left worth lingering over.
Ryan nodded, hesitated, then reached out and gently patted her head. “If you ever need to talk, you can come to me. Don’t keep things bottled up. Now go eat something p>
Kailey had never imagined she would one day sit across from the man she loved, eating a meal prepared by the woman he loved. She briefly considered excusing herself, then decided that if she was truly ready to let go, she could handle moments like this. Besides, she would be leaving the city soon enough.
Once breakfast was finished, Ryan headed upstairs to change. Kailey planned to return to her room and begin packing. She had to meet her mentor at the university later to discuss her internship arrangements in Aslesall.
“Kailey p>
The voice stopped her mid-step.
She turned to find Olivia standing at the kitchen doorway, rubber gloves on, leaning against the frame with effortless composure—the very picture of a woman at ease in someone else’s home. A tightness settled in Kailey’s throat, but she kept her expression neutral. “What’s wrong p>
“Nothing urgent. I just wanted to have a quick chat.” Olivia smiled softly, though her eyes held no warmth. “I heard you’ve always done well in your studies—skipped grades, even. Now that graduation is around the corner, have you decided where you’ll do your internship p>
Her words sounded considerate, but Kailey could tell she was fishing for information.
She returned a polite, empty smile. “I don’t think that’s any of your business p>
Originally, Ryan had arranged for her to intern at a company under Owen Group. The idea had once thrilled her—she had imagined working alongside him every day. But none of that seemed to matter anymore.
Olivia’s expression tightened for a moment before she forced it back into a smile. “I just wanted to check in on you. After all, Ryan is a man, and there are things he might not be comfortable discussing with you p>