<b>Chapter </b><b>374 </b>


    “Victoria, how long are you gonna keep me waiting?” Ryan blocked the doorway, refusing to let me pass.


    “Step aside,” I said, my eyes turning cold.


    82%


    Ryan quickly dropped his hand, looking all kinds of pitiful. “I just want to experience all the ups and downs of love. Won’t you give


    me a shot?”


    That actually made meugh.


    “Then you can start with the bitter part,” I shot him a look. “If I ignore you, you’ll know exactly what heartbreak feels like.”


    “Everyone else gets the sweet before the bitter. That’s so unfair,” Ryan grumbled, looking all sulky.


    Iughed. “Didn’t you bring this on yourself?”


    “You’re only ying me because you know I like you,” Ryan said, getting mad.


    I hit the elevator button, and Ryan closed the door and hurried after me. “Victoria, you really know how <i>to </i>push my buttons,” heined.


    Fixing my earrings in the elevator’s reflection, I said coolly, “Ryan, we’re just not right for each other. Stop wasting your time on me.”


    My words were ice–cold, and Ryan looked like he’d been rooted to the spot, his handsome face full of disbelief.


    I shot him a look and said, word by word, “I’ve loved more, I’ve lived more. If you want to be with me, you wouldn’t even know


    where to start.”


    Ryan blinked, his longshes making his clear, innocent eyes look even more like a wless, crystal–clearke.


    A guy like him deserves a love thatsts a lifetime, someone who will stay with him till the very end. He shouldn’t have to go through heartbreak–he’s already got everything he needs.


    If you can go through life without ever having your heart broken, that’s the best kind of happiness there is.


    I looked at him seriously. “I expect a lot from a rtionship. If you can’t give me that, we’ll both end up miserable. I don’t want to be unfair to you.”


    Ryan seemed to be weighing my words, his clear eyes gradually darkening with emotion. Then his lips curled into a sly smile as he reached out, wrapped his arm around me, cradled the back of my head, and pulled me in for a sudden kiss.


    The next moment, he let go, crossed his arms, and shot me a teasing look. “Quit acting all high and mighty. Honestly, I think you’re the real innocent one here<b>.” </b>


    I just stared at him, lost for words.


    Getting sassed by a younger guy like him–seriously, I wanted to smack him.


    Ryan used his height advantage to look down at me, eyes full of mischief. “And yeah, you might be older, but your face is still super young. Lose that grandma bun, will you? No matter how you try to act all mature, you just end up looking adorably clueless.”


    “Ryan, are you done yet?” I snapped, ring at him.


    9:23 Mon, 25 Aug


    Just then, the elevator doors opened and I strode right in.


    Ryan came in after me, standing close by and giving me his best puppy eyes. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop. Don’t be mad, okay?<i>” </i>


    “I’m ignoring you,” I said, turning my face away.


    82%


    Ryan leaned in, lowering his voice right by my ear. “Honestly, you look gorgeous all dressed up like this. You’ve got that sexy bossdy vibe going on–bet half the guys at work won’t be able to concentrate today.”


    “Shut up,” I snapped, ncing at my reflection in the elevator’s mirror. Even pissed off, I was somehow giving off major wifey energy, which just annoyed me more. I pressed my lips together, trying not to show it.


    28


    Ryan instantly switched to his good boy act. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop messing with you. <i>Go </i>crush it at work. You promised me dinnerst time, right? Let’s do it tonight–I’m free.”


    “I’m not in the mood for dinner,” I grumbled, still stewing.


    “Then let me treat you,” Ryan shot me a yful grin.


    The elevator dinged at the basement level, and as soon as Ryan stepped out, his butler came rushing over. “Young master, you spent the whole night at Victoria’s ce!”


    “Keep quiet. Not a word to anyone,” Ryan fixed him with a warning re.


    The butler instantly fell silent, not daring to say another word.


    Ryan turned to me with a grin. “Cheer up, Victoria. There’s no shortage of men out there.”


    I cracked a smile at his attempt to cheer me up. “I’m good. Gotta run.”


    As I drove off, I saw Ryan getting into his fancy, heavily guarded car. He rolled down the window and just watched me leave.


    When I got to the office, I realized I’d missed a ton of important calls, so I switched my phone back to ring.


    Nathan had sent over a dozen texts, all full of exnations, but I didn’t have time for that right now–I just ignored them for the time being.


    Around three in the afternoon, Nathan cornered me right outside the conference room.


    Everyone in the meeting room was staring, and even Jared, who was about to log off from the main screen, paused and narrowed his eyes at me through the video call.


    Nathan was slightly out of breath, his handsome face anxious. “Victoria, we need to talk.”