Chapter 4
Sophie and I had finished dinner and were just chilling on the couch in our pajamas, watching TV.
Sophie was like a little kid. She was obsessed with Tom and Jerry.
She was grinning, hugging a bowl of fruit, and said, "Violet, look at that cat! He's so silly, keeps getting picked on, and still doesn't learn to stay out of trouble."
Yeah, he fell for the same trick every single time.
Just as I was laughing, I glanced up and suddenly met Ryan's gaze. His eyes were deep and distant, watching me from across the room.
Honestly, it had been forever since I'd really looked at him, and he hadn't bothered to look at me for just as long.
Now that I was actually paying attention, I realized he had these faint wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.
Ryan's face darkened as he glared at Sophie, his tone icy. "Who allowed you to come here? Get out."
Sophie jumped in fright, startled by his outburst.
I shot back, "Why are you yelling? You'll scare the baby."
Ryan gritted his teeth, his voice low and dangerous. "Who says that baby is even mine?"
"And even if she is pregnant, she can get rid of it. There's no need for her to actually have the baby," he added coldly.
The threat in Ryan's voice really freaked Sophie out.
I reached out and soothed her back, giving her a reassuring nod to let her know it was okay to go to bed.
Sophie was still nervous, gripping my sleeve like a scared kid.
"Don't worry. He's not going to eat you alive. He's just mouthing off. Go get some sleep, okay? You need the rest," I said, trying to comfort her.
Sophie finally shuffled off, looking back at me every few steps, still worried.
Her clingy act actually made Ryan let out a sarcastic laugh.
"Damn, you really are cool about this now, huh? When did you get so chill?" he sneered.
"Violet, should I give you a standing ovation or something?" he added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
I just smiled, totally unfazed. "Ryan, you keep hooking up with one girl after another. Aren't you just testing how much I can take?
"I know how it goes in your crowd. Your buddies, your business partners, even your dad and uncles, all keep things steady at home while they've got side chicks everywhere.
"You used thirteen women to break my spirit, didn't you? Isn't this exactly what you wanted? Well, congrats, guess you win.
Honestly, I just didn't get it at first. Back then, I was his whole world. He'd fight anyone for me. How did he turn into this guy?
It wasn't until the day before my birthday that Ryan hit me with a reality check.
That was when I finally woke up.
So when I finally gave in and said something gentle, Ryan looked like he'd seen a ghost.
He pressed his lips together, his gaze wavering, like he couldn't figure out what he was feeling.
"Three months ago, you tried to kill yourself, and now you're telling me you've let it go?" Ryan said.
"I'm over it," I replied.
"Violet, just tell me the truth!" he snapped.
"That's the truth."
Ryan drew in a sharp breath, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Great! If that's what you want, I'll spend the night with her."
I nodded calmly, not a hint of emotion on my face. "Go ahead, but remember to be gentle. The doctor said her pregnancy is stable, so it's fine if you two share a bed."
Ryan walked out in a huff, the chill practically trailing after him as he left.
Silently, I gazed out the window.
Things had changed.