Chapter 330: But he was wrong. Again

Chapter 330: But he was wrong. Again

Chapter 330: But he was wrong. Again

Watching Anna leave, it wasn’t long before Alice’s car pulled up in front of Ryan.

Ryan had wanted to properly say goodbye to Mia. Even though their day at the amusement park had been cut short by Alice’s sudden check-in, leaving a lot of regrets, it was still his first time going to a place like that, and it held some sentimental value.

Besides, if Mia knew he genuinely cared about her, would she be stronger in facing her illness?

But no one around him seemed to share his thoughts.

Alice and Bella were sitting in the back seat, gesturing for Ryan to get in through the still-closed window. Meanwhile, Mia was staring warily at Alice, her eyes fixed on the faint smile on the girl’s face.

“Ryan, get in. We’re going home.”

If Alice hadn’t urged him, Ryan wasn’t sure how long he would’ve just stood there, frozen.

He glanced back at Mia, who was clearly not in a good state. She let out a long sigh, and when she looked at Ryan again, the hatred in her eyes had faded, replaced by something far more complicated.

It was a mix of reluctance to part with a friend and something deeper, more delicate, and ambiguous—something Ryan couldn’t quite read.

“Ryan, just get in the car. I’ll be fine.”

Mia’s words were forced. If she could, she would’ve done everything to keep Ryan by her side, but she couldn’t.

Her gaze was locked on Alice, who sat in the back seat, calm and composed. Mia’s small hands were clenched into fists behind her back, and it took all her strength not to let her anger show.

Why? What made Alice so special? Why did she get to have everything, while Mia was left to die alone?

It was clear now—Ryan didn’t want to leave Alice. That much was certain. But this wasn’t Ryan’s fault. It had to be something Alice had done to him.

Mia wouldn’t hurt Ryan, at least not for now. So, her target could only be Alice.

After seeing Ryan, Alice seemed to relax, but Ryan was on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. He had wanted to ask if he could sit in the front seat, but before he could even get the words out, Alice had already shut that idea down by resting her head on his shoulder. Now, he couldn’t move an inch.

There was still the space of Alice between him and Bella, but Ryan couldn’t shake the feeling that his face was itching, as if someone was staring at him intensely.

He didn’t need to guess who it was. That burning gaze, so blatant in its desire, was unmistakable. It was just like the nightmare he had lived through four years ago.

Ryan swallowed hard. Every time he thought he had come to terms with Bella, that he had finally put the past behind him, his body would betray him with the most visceral reaction.

He was terrified of Bella. He had been four years ago, and even after she returned from abroad three years later, nothing had changed.

Trying to mimic Alice, Ryan closed his eyes. But losing his sight only heightened his other senses. What had been a faint itch on his cheek now felt like a scorching gaze, tracing every inch of him.

It was like a starving predator sizing up its prey, evaluating the tenderness of the meat, deciding how best to devour it.

If it had stopped there, Ryan might have been able to convince himself it was all in his head. Three years was a long time, and maybe Bella had moved on from those feelings.

But he was wrong. Again.

With Alice resting on his shoulder, the car’s music turned off, and the quiet atmosphere settling in, her breathing gradually slowed. She had fallen asleep.

Ryan wasn’t the only one who noticed. Almost the moment Alice drifted off, his right hand was grabbed.

At first, Ryan thought it was Alice, moving unconsciously in her sleep. But when he felt the smooth skin slowly tracing the joints of his fingers, lingering over every ridge and line, he could no longer pretend to be calm.

It was like an artist meticulously sketching a detailed map, or a sculptor carefully crafting a masterpiece. Bella’s fingers moved over his hand with deliberate precision.

Their hands overlapped, and her fingertips pressed curiously against his, before sliding inward to his palm, which was now slightly damp with sweat.

Ryan’s first instinct was to pull his hand away, but his wrist was already firmly held in place. If he tried to yank it free, he would definitely wake Alice. And if she saw what was happening, things would only get worse.

It felt like a branding iron was searing into his palm. Bella, emboldened, took advantage of every small opening, slipping her fingers between his, until their hands were fully intertwined.