I lowered my head and sighed softly. “Ryan, maybe Uncle Ryan really has your best interests at heart. Have you ever tried to see things from his point of view?”

Ryan shook his head. “All I know is, we only get about thirty thousand days in this life. If I can’t choose the person I love, then not even death would bring me peace.”

His words left me speechless—I was totally caught off guard.

Ryan reached out and gently brushed my cheek. “Victoria, trust me, I’m not losing my mind. I know there’s a huge gap between us—it’s not just about age, it’s about who we are, where we come from. But everyone deserves to fight for what they want. So, I’m not backing down.”

My heart felt like it was roasting over an open flame. Right then, all I could do was just pull him into a hug.

I pressed my cheek against his chest, his heartbeat pounding like a drum—so strong, so full of life.

Ryan tensed up for a moment, then slowly relaxed. The next second, he wrapped his arms around me. “Even if I’m the only one with feelings, even if I’m the only one trying, if there are a hundred steps between us, you just need to take one toward me. Let me close the rest of the distance, okay?”

It felt like my heart had just been hit by spring—one minute it was all cold and empty, and the next, it was overflowing with wildflowers, thanks to a single warm breeze.

I swallowed hard, trying not to tear up, and gave the tiniest nod. “Yeah.”

Ryan let out a soft laugh, and just as he was about to loosen his grip, I suddenly shoved him playfully.

Totally unprepared, Ryan tumbled onto my soft bed, his tall frame landing with a bounce. He stared up at me, completely stunned.

I bent down, bracing my arms on either side of him, grinning as I looked into his eyes.

Ryan’s eyes sparkled with excitement—he seemed to know exactly what I was up to. His breathing grew deeper.

I was actually feeling a bit shy myself—honestly, I’m not that uninhibited when it comes to stuff like this.

“Vic…” Ryan called me by that nickname—no one’s ever called me that before, and I couldn’t help blushing.

I glanced down at the growing bulge in his pants, a wave of heat rushing through me. My voice came out low and husky. “This is the first time I’ve ever heard a guy say it’s not just the first time that matters, but every single time in life.”

Ryan blinked those long, deep eyes of his and gave me a shy smile.

Whenever he got shy, his cheeks would flush, and that blush just made him look even more tempting.

“I’ll remember that,” I said softly, my heart fluttering a little.

Ryan, clearly embarrassed, turned his face toward the window and spoke in a slow, quiet voice. “No, don’t remember it. I was just saying random stuff.”

Without saying another word, I reached out and started unbuckling his belt.

It wasn’t everything, but at least I gave Ryan a little something in return. That bashful, inexperienced man in the heat of the moment—I don’t think I’ll ever forget him for the rest of my life.

After I washed up, Ryan said he wanted to take a shower. Blushing, he asked, “Do you have any clothes I can change into?”

I opened my closet and saw a set of clothes Nathan had left here before. I cleared my throat and asked, “Nathan still has a set here. Are you okay with wearing it?”

Ryan looked surprised for a second, then nodded. “Sure, it’s better than walking around naked.”

I burst out laughing. “Honestly, I thought you’d be picky about it.”

“If it’s for you, I don’t care,” Ryan said, closing the bathroom door behind him.

The shower was running in the bathroom, but my head was still spinning with everything that just went down. ‘Seriously, each guy is more tempting than the last—how’s a decent girl like me supposed to survive all this?’ I thought, feeling totally overwhelmed.

When Ryan came out, he was already dressed. I was in the kitchen cooking dumplings, since he’d asked earlier if I had anything to eat—he’d come over without even grabbing breakfast.

“Give me your hand!” he suddenly called out as he walked into the kitchen.

I was busy turning the dumplings over, so I just reached out my free hand. He took it, and the next thing I knew, he snapped a photo.

I looked at him, surprised. “Why are you taking a picture?”

Ryan gave me a lazy grin. “I’m posting it on Instagram.”

“Wait, what?” I blurted out, totally shocked. “Are you crazy?”

Ryan just smirked. “Relax, it’s only for Uncle Ryan and you to see. I’m not crazy.”