In that moment, tears started streaming down his face, his eyes pleading with her.


    ra shook her head firmly. "Let go, Ryan. This isn''t going to work on me this time. I''m done cleaning up your messes."


    Ryan held on tight, stubbornly refusing to let go, staying on his knees with no sign of standing up.


    Sarah, watching from the sidelines, couldn''t hold back her anger. "ra, what''s wrong with you? Ryan''s your brother! Remember what your dad said before he passed? And now you''re just going to abandon him? If Johnny could see this, he wouldn''t forgive you!"


    Ryan shot her a sharp look. "Shut up."


    Sarah huffed, turning away. "I''m just worried about you. I don''t want my child''s father begging on his knees all the time."


    ra felt too drained to even get mad. She nced at Ryan, still kneeling there. "Let go. I''ve got work waiting for me at the office."


    Ryan was a mess of tears and snot. "ra, please don''t leave me. I messed up, I really did. I don''t even know how it happened. I just woke up next to her one morning..."


    ra cut him off. "Then have her get rid of the baby."


    Ryan''s crying stopped abruptly, silence hanging in the air.


    Sarah burst out, furious. "ra, how can you, as a woman, suggest an abortion? Do you have no heart? Ryan is your brother, and you''re part of this child''s family too. How can you be so heartless? I''m telling you now, I''m not having an abortion. I''m having this baby!"


    ra leaned down and patted Ryan''s shoulder. "You''re not even twenty."


    Ryan''s voice was rough as he lowered his eyes. "But Dad always said to take responsibility for the girls. Sarah was my first. She was there for me when I was falling apart. ra, I can''t just..."


    In the end, his resolve softened.


    Sarah''s eyes lit up at his words. Megan was right-Ryan was still just a kid, easy to sway.


    She quickly knelt beside him, tears welling up. "ra, please don''t make it hard for him. No matter what, he''s family. It''s my fault, okay? I love Ryan, and I''m ready to have his baby. Can''t you just let us be? I''ll stay with him from now on."


    ra watched their little drama unfold and suddenlyughed. So she was the viin now.


    She gave Sarah a sarcastic smile. "What happened to Dn?"


    Sarah blushed but quickly stood her ground. "Mr. Dn and I live in different worlds. I fell for Ryan while we were together. I''m having this baby."


    ra took a deep breath, thinking of Johnny, and slowly crouched to meet Ryan''s eyes.


    "Ryan, really think this through. I kept you here to protect you. Sarah and I have history. She got pregnant on purpose to stir things up and use you against me. This child will only bring trouble. Are you sure you want to be with someone this maniptive? Your whole rtionship was a setup."


    Ryan opened his mouth but didn''t know what to say.


    Afraid he''d change his mind, Sarah crawled forward, clutching his hand. “Ryan, you''re scared ra will leave you. I''m scared you''ll leave me. You get that, right? Plus, I''m carrying your baby. I''m really looking forward to this new life."