Addicted to you

Chapter twenty

~RHYS

I couldn't stop smiling as I walked back to my car after dropping Myra off.

Myra.

Just thinking about her was enough to make my heart feel strangely light.

She was so perfect.

I had spent the entire drive thinking about her smile, her voice, the way she looked at me, and how different everything felt now that she was finally mine.

Gosh.

I was acting like a high school boy who had just discovered his first crush.

I chuckled to myself and shook my head.

Then my phone buzzed.

I glanced at the screen.

My smile disappeared instantly.

Dad: Meet me at home.

My stomach tightened.

Whenever my father summoned me like that, it was never for anything good.

I started the car and drove straight to the mansion.

The moment I stepped inside, I knew something was terribly wrong.

My parents were waiting for me.

My father stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

My mother sat beside him, looking unusually frightened.

She wouldn't even meet my eyes.

What the hell had I done?

"Dad?"

He slowly turned toward me.

"What are these?"

My eyes fell on the pictures in his hand.

Pictures of me playing soccer.

My heart dropped.

"What did I tell you about playing this sport?"

I said nothing.

There was no point lying.

His jaw tightened.

"I warned you."

"Dad, I-"

"Enough."

His voice made me stop.

"Guess it's time to teach you a lesson."

My mother's eyes widened..

My dad struck my leg and I fell on my knee.

A sharp pain shot through my leg, and I collapsed to my knees.

"Dad... why?"

He stared down at me without a hint of sympathy.

"You're not going to use that leg for soccer again."

My heart stopped.

"What?"

He turned away from me.

"Make sure he understands."

His men stepped forward.

"Dad!"

He didn't turn around.

"Dad, please!"

My mother looked back at me, tears in her eyes, but she followed him as he walked away.

I tried to fight.

I fought with everything I had.

But there were too many of them.

I couldn't overpower twenty men.

Not like this.

Not when I was already hurt.

And then the pain became unbearable.

I screamed.

Tears blurred my vision as the only thing I could think about was soccer.

My dreams.

My freedom.

Everything I'd worked for.

Gone.

Just like that.

I couldn't believe it.

I was really saying goodbye to soccer.

Forever.

A tear slipped down my cheek.

Then another.

And before I could process anything else, darkness swallowed me.

.........

~RILEY

"Uhm, Mr. Denton, I'm sorry about the way I acted that day."

I forced a small smile.

"I just wasn't feeling okay."

"I wasn't offended," he said calmly. "So why were you hiding from me?"

"Uhm..."

I looked away.

"I was looking for something and-"

He raised an eyebrow.

That look immediately told me he wasn't buying it.

"Okay, fine," I sighed. "I didn't want you to see me."

"Why?"

"I'm not even sure you're going to recruit me, and I definitely wasn't making a good impression with what I was wearing."

He studied me for a moment before speaking.

"Miss Easton, I think you're worrying about the wrong thing. I'm not going to judge you based on how you spoke to me that day.

And you're not at work, so I don't care what you're wearing."

My eyes widened.

"So... that means I still have a chance of getting recruited?"

He simply shook his head and walked toward the counter to pay for his things.

I quickly followed him.

"Mr. Denton, at least tell me how I can make it up to you for speaking rudely."

"I already told you. I wasn't offended."

I sighed.

I guess that was the end of that.

Then his stomach growled.

I blinked.

"You seem hungry."

He looked slightly embarrassed.

"I guess I am."

"I could make something for you."

His eyes met mine.

"If you come over to my place. It's not far from here."

"I don't think so. Mine isn't far either."

And just like that, he nodded goodbye and walked away.

I stood there watching him disappear.

Well...

I guess he really didn't need an apology.

I groaned internally.

Why was I acting so desperate?

Was he going to think I was trying to win him over?

No.

Absolutely not.

I wasn't trying to seduce him.

I shook my head and started walking toward my apartment.

But the moment I reached my floor, I heard a familiar door unlock.

I froze.

Hayden stepped out.

And somehow, he looked ridiculously good.

Of course he did.

Why couldn't he just look terrible for once?

Why did we have to live in the same building?

Why was fate making it impossible for me to get over him?

I quickly turned toward my door and started entering my passcode.

I just needed to get inside before he noticed me

Except...

Why wasn't the damn thing working?

I tried again.

Nothing.

I was getting more frustrated by the second.

"Riley."

I ignored him.

Maybe if I pretended I couldn't hear him, he'd leave.

"Look, you don't have to run away from me."

That did it.

I turned around sharply.

"Who said I'm running away from you?"

"I-"

He stammered.

I scoffed.

"You think I give a s**t about you, asshole? I don't want to see your stupid face. That's why I'm trying to get into my apartment."

I pointed toward his door.

"And why the hell do you have to live right next to me?"

He looked at me for a moment.

"I'm sorry."

Those two words.

The words I'd once wanted so badly.

Now they meant absolutely nothing.

"f**k off."

I turned around, entered my passcode, and this time, the door unlocked.

I rushed inside and slammed it shut.

Then I slid down against the door.

And finally...

I broke.

Tears streamed down my face.

I hated him.

Or at least, I wanted to.

But memories had a cruel way of reminding me that I hadn't always hated him.

I remembered us.

The good moments.

The laughter.

The promises.

And then I remembered what happened.

I remembered begging him to take me back after he cheated on me.

I had cried.

I had pleaded.

I had swallowed my pride and begged him to choose me.

And he hadn't even cared.

Not once.

So why was he apologizing now?

He could keep his apology.

I didn't need it.

He should go back to his b***h.

I wiped my tears angrily.

Then my phone started ringing.

I picked it up without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Denton Firm. We're calling to inform you that you've officially been recruited as an intern."

My eyes widened.

"Wait... really?"

"Yes."

"Oh my gosh! Thank you so much!"

The call ended.

For a few seconds, I just stared at my phone.

Then a huge smile spread across my face.

I got it.

I actually got the internship!

For the first time that day, my tears were replaced by happiness.

I jumped to my feet.

Maybe things were finally starting to look up.

.........

~RHYS

When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the silence.

The second was my leg.

I couldn't feel it properly.

It was numb.

I stared at the cast around it, unable to process what had happened.

Soccer.

My entire life had revolved around it.

And now...

It was over.

Just like that.

I swallowed hard.

Why the hell did I have to be born into this family?

Why couldn't I have been allowed to make my own choices?

The door opened.

Damien walked in.

"Bro..."

I looked at him.

"How's the pain?"

"I can't feel my leg."

He frowned.

"What?"

"It's numb."

He nodded slowly before pulling a chair closer.

"There's something else."

I looked at him.

"What?"

He hesitated.

"I investigated who took the picture."

My heart immediately started pounding.

"And?"

He looked straight at me.

"Myra's name was written on the back of it."

Everything inside me went still.

Myra.

I closed my eyes.

No.

It couldn't be.

But somewhere deep inside, I already knew.

The memories came rushing back.

Her.

The pictures.

My father.

My leg.

Everything connected.

I opened my eyes again, but Damien was still watching me.

I couldn't look at him.

"Leave."

"Rhys-"

"Just leave."

He stayed silent for a moment before getting up and walking toward the door.

Once he was gone, I stared at the ceiling.

My chest felt painfully tight.

Myra had taken the picture.

Myra had somehow become involved in all of this.

And suddenly, one terrifying thought crossed my mind.

What if she was the reason I lost everything?

I clenched my fists.

For the first time since waking up, I wasn't thinking about my father.

I wasn't thinking about the pain.

I wasn't even thinking about soccer.

I was thinking about Myra.

And I didn't know whether I wanted to hate her...

or understand why she did it.

What do you this is going to happen.

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