16. Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Sixteen
Ryan
B ella stares at me, her mouth slightly open, as if she can’t believe what she’s hearing.
She looks like she’s caught between disbelief and something I can’t quite name—hope, maybe. I take a step closer, making sure she hears every word.
“Ryan,” she finally whispers, her voice barely audible. “You can’t mean that.”
“I’ve never meant anything more in my life,” I say firmly, closing the distance between us. “Bella, I know what I want now. And it’s certainly not skyscrapers, boardroom meetings, or endless business trips searching for the next big deal. It’s this. It’s you. It’s Luke. It’s us. I want a family with you.”
She tries to gather herself. “You’re saying that now because of the fantasy of starting a family. But what happens when you wake up one day and miss the life you left behind? What happens when you begin to resent me for taking it from you?”
“I could never resent you,” I counter, my voice soft but persistent. “And it’s not a fantasy, Bella. It’s real. You’re real. What we have is real.”
She shakes her head, her teeth tugging at her lower lip. “Ryan, this is your world. Your job, your reputation, it’s everything you’ve built. You can’t just throw that away.”
“I’m not throwing anything away,” I say, reaching out to gently cup her face. She flinches at first but doesn’t pull back, her gaze locked on mine. “I’m making a choice, Bella. And my choice is you.”
Her breath hitches and her hands tremble as they fall to her sides. “I’m scared,” she admits, her voice barely a whisper.
“I know,” I say, stroking her cheek with my thumb. “And I don’t blame you. But you don’t have to be scared alone anymore. Let me be here for you. Let me prove that I’m not going anywhere.”
Her lips part, but no words come out. She looks at me like she’s searching for something, like she wants to believe me but is terrified to let herself.
“What about your family?” she finally asks, her voice breaking. “Your daughter? Your responsibilities?”
“I’ve thought about all of that,” I assure her. “Alice will always come first, and she loves it here. She loves Luke. She loves you .”
Bella hesitates slightly, but I press on.
“And as for my family and responsibilities, they won’t just disappear. I’ll figure out a way to balance it all, but I’m willing to make Cedar Ridge my home if it means I get to be with you.”
She steps back, breaking the contact between us. Her hands move to her hair, pushing it back as she lets out a shaky laugh. “This doesn’t make any sense. People can’t just change their lives like this overnight.”
“I’ve been changing ever since the first day I walked into your café,” I admit. “You’ve made me see what really matters, Bella. It’s not the money or the success. It’s family. It’s you. It’s us .”
Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, but she still looks unsure. “Ryan…I don’t want to be your mistake. I can’t be another regret in your life.”
I step forward again, refusing to let her put more distance between us. “You could never be a mistake. Not ever. The only mistake I could make is letting you go, and I refuse to do that.”
The silence stretches between us, heavy with everything we’re not saying. I let out a slow breath, hoping my words are enough to break through the walls she’s so carefully built.
Finally, she speaks, her voice trembling. “Do you even know what you’re saying, Ryan? You’re offering to give up your whole life—your identity—for someone who doesn’t know if she can give you the same in return.”
“I’m not asking for anything in return,” I say gently. “I’m offering you my heart, Bella. What you do with it is up to you.”
Her lips tremble and she presses her hand against her mouth like she’s trying to keep herself together.
“I don’t know if I can trust this,” she whispers. “If I can trust you.”
I take her hands in mine, holding them firmly but gently. “Then let me show you. Give me the chance to earn your trust. To prove to you that this isn’t just words. It’s my life. And I want to build it with you.”
Her head drops, and for a moment, I think I’ve lost her. But then she looks up, her tear-filled eyes meeting mine with a glimmer of hope.
“Ryan…” she begins, her voice cracking. “I want to believe you. I really do.”
“Then believe me,” I implore her. “I’m not going anywhere, Bella. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.”
She takes a shaky breath, and for the first time, she lets her guard down just a little. “Okay,” she says softly. “But I’m still scared. And I don’t know how to stop being scared.”
“We’ll figure it out together,” I promise. “One day at a time. As long as you let me stay.”
Her lips curve into a tentative smile, and she nods. “Okay,” she whispers again, her voice stronger this time.
“Bella,” I continue, my voice soft but unwavering, “I love you. And I love Luke. You’re not just some obligation or someone I have to take care of. You’re everything. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be with you—whatever it takes to make this work.”
Her lips tremble, and for a moment, I think she’s going to cry. But instead, she lets out a shaky laugh, her eyes brimming with disbelief.
She looks up at me then, her eyes filled with so much emotion that it takes my breath away. “Why?” she asks, her voice breaking. “Why does this matter so much to you?”
“Because I love you,” I say simply. “And I’m not going to let you push me away. Not now. Not ever.”
She doesn’t respond right away, and the silence stretches between us. Finally, she looks back at me, her eyes filled with uncertainty, but also a flicker of hope.
“Okay,” she says quietly. “Okay.”
It might not be an official declaration of love or a promise of forever, but it’s a start. And as I pull her into my arms, holding her tightly against me, I know that’s enough for now.
We stay like that for what feels like forever, neither of us saying a word. And in that silence, I make a silent vow: I will not let her down. I will not let her face life alone. Not now. Not ever.