The Heart That He Stole

The Woman in My Home

I waited and waited, but Ryan never came to take me home.

The thought of going home filled me with dread, so I lingered. I dismissed the driver and wandered off alone, craving the distraction of unfamiliar streets.

As soon as I reached the mall entrance, there they were: Ryan and Olivia.

They looked inseparable, the picture of perfection.

Olivia caught sight of me, and a spark flickered in her eyes. She clung tighter to Ryan's arm and strode directly toward me.

Her voice was sweet, but her gaze was sharp enough to cut. "Emma, why are you here all by yourself? That must feel so lonely."

I mustered a brittle smile, though the act drained me. "Yes. My fiance is a little busy."

I met Ryan's eyes. "Since he is busy entertaining you, I am left on my own."

Tears welled up in Olivia's eyes. She released Ryan's arm as if my words had cut her to the core.

Ryan moved in front of her at once, shielding her like a knight.

When he looked at me, the warmth in his eyes was gone. All that remained was irritation. "Do you always have to be this cruel? I told you before. Olivia is like a sister to me."

Oddly enough, a strange calm settled over me.

Her voice trembled as she stepped forward, pretending she was about to apologize. "Ryan, do not blame Emma. This is my fault. I should apologize to her."

Ryan caught her arm immediately, his expression full of concern. "Olivia, none of this is your fault. You do not owe her an apology."

Then, he turned to me, his gaze dark and heavy. "Apologize to Olivia right now, or you are going to regret it."

I bit down on my anger so hard I tasted blood.

I wondered how I had managed to deceive myself for so long. Ryan's heart never belonged to me.

I replied, "Absolutely not. I did nothing wrong."

A muscle twitched in his jaw, his expression turning to ice.

Just then, two bodyguards stepped forward from behind him.

Before I could move, one of them struck the back of my knees.

Agony shot up my legs.

I collapsed onto my knees, landing at Olivia's feet.

Ryan looked down at me without a trace of emotion. "If you do not know how to apologize, I will teach you."

The man before me had helped murder my mother. Now, he forced me to kneel and beg forgiveness from the woman they destroyed her for. Humiliation scorched every inch of me.

I lifted my head and stared straight at him. "Ryan, if you humiliate me like this today, I will hate you for the rest of my life."

When our eyes met, something flickered across his face. His body tensed, just barely.

For a heartbeat, I thought he might help me up.

Then, Olivia let out a weak little cry and collapsed into his arms.

"Olivia!" Ryan's expression changed instantly. He swept her into his arms and rushed away without looking back.

The crowd's stares seared my skin.

I forced myself upright, my knees trembling so violently I could hardly stand.

…

Back home, I headed straight for Ryan's study.

I keyed in Olivia's birthday and heard the safe click open.

I braced myself for whatever I might uncover.

To my surprise, I felt nothing at all.

Inside, there were no treasures, just a single document.

I pulled it out.

Even after everything that had happened, seeing the proof with my own eyes still made my chest tighten, as if an old wound had been torn open again.

Ryan had forged my signature and signed the consent form on my behalf.

My hands trembled as I snapped photos of every page, my knuckles white from gripping the phone so tightly.

I told myself, 'Ryan, I would make you pay for this.'

…

The moment I stepped out of the study, I heard voices downstairs.

Olivia's weak, delicate voice floated up. "Ryan, maybe I should go home. Emma will be upset if I stay."

I walked down the stairs.

Olivia was curled up in Ryan's arms on the couch, looking pale and fragile.

Ryan looked up at me. The tenderness in his expression vanished the second his eyes met mine. "Perfect timing. Olivia is not well and needs rest. Starting today, she will be staying here."