<b>Chapter </b><b>385 </b>


    80%


    Ryan’s eyes were deep and unreadable as he looked at me. “I care about you, you know. I was afraid you’d get tricked, so I had someone check out Nathan’s dating history. When I found out about Miss Chancellor, I just knew you’d end things with him.”


    “Don’t meddle like that,” I said, not liking my privacy being dragged out into the open. Even if it’s about Nathan, I still think his personal life deserves some respect.


    Ryan instantly looked at me like a guilty puppy. “Sorry… I just didn’t want you to get tricked.”


    I stared at him seriously. “Don’t go investigating anyone around me again. I know you’ve got the resources, but please, just don’t.”


    “Okay!” Ryan nodded obediently. “I won’t do it anymore. But Miss Chancellor has already gone back to Hachester.”


    “This isn’t something I should even know about,” I muttered, feeling even more frustrated.


    Ryan immediately went quiet when he saw I didn’t want to talk about it.


    I took a couple sips of water, nning to crash for a nap. Turning to Ryan, I said, “Could you give me some space? I want to get some sleep.”


    Ryan blinked those dark eyes of his. “Sure, but it’s not like I have anything going on this afternoon anyway. Mind if I hang around for a while?”


    “How could you have nothing to do? Don’t you have sses?” I shot back, not buying it for a second.


    Ryan just grinned. “Honestly, I finished all my courses ages ago. Graduation’s not a problem.”


    I knew he was just making stuff up. Ryan was the golden boy–school and degrees were just another box to tick for him, nothing special at all.


    Ryan gave me those ridiculously charming, pleading eyes–how could I say no to that?


    “Fine, you can stay,” I sighed.


    <i>I </i>was too tired to bother kicking him out, so I just let him stick around. Then I went to my bedroom, closed the door, and fell asleep


    as soon as I hit the bed.


    When I woke up, it was already past six. My phone going off was what dragged me out of sleep.


    I nced at the screen–it was Jared calling.


    I looked out the window at the darkening sky. The silence was suffocating, and a wave of loneliness hit me, like the whole world


    had left me behind.


    I got up right away and opened the bedroom door. The living room was just as dark. Ryan, who’d said he’d stick around, had vanished without a trace.


    Loneliness pressed in from every direction. The only sound was my phone. I didn’t bother turning on the lights, just picked up the call and drifted toward the balcony.


    “He was at your ce for two hours before he left, Victoria. Are you really that desperate?” Jared’s voice exploded in my ear, practically shaking with rage.


    09.25 Mon, 25 Aug


    I was still groggy from sleep, his words leaving me dazed and bewildered.


    “What are you talking about?” I mumbled, rubbing my temples and trying to clear my head.


    “Cut the act, Victoria. A drunk woman and a young, strong guy alone together for two hours? Don’t tell me you were just chatting.” Jared was practically shouting now, his anger spilling over.


    I froze for a moment, and then the pieces finally came together in my mind.


    ‘So that’s why Jared’s so furious–just because Ryan stayed at my ce for two hours?‘ The realization made my heart skip a beat.


    In that instant, it all clicked–Ryan, that scheming devil, hadn’t left right away on purpose. He hung around just to stir up trouble


    for Jared.


    He must’ve guessed that Jared or Nathan would have someone keeping tabs on me, so he deliberately set up this whole misunderstanding.


    “Victoria,st night you kicked me out of your room, and now today you go and spend the night with him? How could you do this to me?” Jared’s voice was thick with anger and hurt.


    “Me and him… we didn’t…” I stammered, my mind all over the ce, not even sure how to start exining.


    “Am I really that worthless? Or… are you just sick of me already?” Jared asked, his voice suddenly cold and controlled, but I could hear him grinding his teeth.


    “Jared, stop acting crazy. We’re over, you know that,” I tried to exin, my heart pounding and my thoughts in chaos.


    Jared shouted, “I don’t fucking want to be over with you!”


    With that, he hung up on me.


    Clutching my phone, I stared out at the city lights. Down below, voices and car engines blended together, filling the night with


    noise.


    Turning around, I flipped on the lights, and the room flooded with brightness.


    I grabbed my phone, half tempted to call Ryan and ask if he was stirring things up. But honestly, there was no point in asking.


    AD