Chapter 819

I froze in disbelief as I saw the tall figure suddenly appear at the doorway.

Then I glanced at the adorable dog curled up quietly on the couch. 'Wait… could that really be the puppy from two years ago?' I wondered.

“Can I come in?” Ryan asked in a low voice, standing by the door.

I tossed my hair, forcing myself to snap out of it, but I’d really had too much to drink. My head felt swollen and clouded, like I was drifting through fog.

Ryan saw I wasn’t saying anything, so he strode straight in and closed the door behind him.

Snowy immediately scampered to his feet, wagging its tail eagerly.

Ryan stooped down and gently scratched its head. “Go play by yourself.”

Snowy trotted back to the couch and sprawled out there, sizing me up with a look that said he was the boss around here.

“What brings you here?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

“You don’t want me here?” Ryan asked softly.

“No, it’s not that. I’ve had a bit to drink and I’m afraid I won’t be much of a host,” I murmured, dropping onto the couch. The warm lamplight seemed to make Ryan’s tall frame stand out even more, his presence almost filling the room.

Ryan looked down at me, his voice gentle yet teasing. “So you really know how to have fun all by yourself, huh?”

'Two years of radio silence and now he turns up acting all distant–what’s actually going through Edward’s head?' I wondered, feeling helpless.

I snorted, shaking my head in self-mockery. “What, I’m not allowed to drown my mood with a few drinks now and then? At least if I pass out drunk, I’ll be sleeping safely at home–I’m not exactly a danger to society.”

Ryan grabbed a pillow, sat down right next to me, and rested it on his lap. He lowered his voice–sounding both soft and a little regretful. “Vic, I just lost someone that meant the world to me, and honestly, I’ve been in a lousy mood all day. Sorry I wasn’t really myself this morning.”

I turned toward him. “You really don’t have to apologize. If anything, I was the one crashing your place out of the blue.”

“Actually, I’m glad you showed up,” Ryan said, glancing over at me. “To be real… I’ve wanted to see you these past two years, but I was just–worried my granddad would lose it.”

I blinked, totally caught off-guard. So all this freaking silence? Turns out Ryan was just terrified of his grandfather going ballistic.

“Ryan, I wasn’t completely in the right back then. And honestly, maybe these two years apart were what we both needed,” I said quietly, feeling guilty as I looked down.

“Do you blame me?” Ryan’s expression softened with sadness. “I always said I’d be the one to patch things up between us, but I ended up disappearing for two years without a word.”

I just stared at him, not really knowing what to say. “We’re friends now, aren’t we? No point rehashing the past.”

“Friends?” Ryan suddenly leaned in, his face dangerously close to mine, his tone low and edged with something darker. “Seems like you have a habit of turning guys you’ve fooled around with into your so-called friends. Is that how you like it?”

My eyes widened in surprise as his breath tickled my ear. He murmured, heat lacing every word. “So, are you done with your little games yet?"

His use of “games” stung more than I wanted to admit, because it was true. For the past two years, I’d relied on my looks and charm, treating relationships like a playground–liking whoever I wanted, never caring who got hurt.

I looked away, forcing a crooked smile. “If you really think I’m just here to play around, Edward, then maybe you never should’ve come looking for me.”

Ryan reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, then leaned down and kissed my forehead. “If I didn’t come looking for you, how am I supposed to deal with all this longing that’s been piling up these past two years?”

I froze, staring into his wounded, dark eyes. “You… do you still have feelings for me?”

Ryan cupped my chin gently, but his touch was a little rough, so he quickly let go. “I don’t know. All I know is, whenever you’re on my mind, everything just feels a little easier.”

I turned away from Ryan, heading to the tall window. My tone cooled. “Let’s be real. I can mess around if I want, but you should be thinking about settling down and building a life for yourself. We’re just not walking the same road anymore.”

Ryan was stunned for a moment by my words. He got up off the couch and came up behind me. “Yeah, I know. Starting a family is something I promised my granddad I’d do.”

I gave a mocking smile. “Then, if that’s already what you’ve decided, why are you here looking for me?”