RYAN'S POV
I had been waiting for almost ten minutes. It felt like hours. Sweat dampened my palms. My heart pounded so hard it hurt. My jaw ached from how tightly I was clenching it. I did not trust my parents. Not for a second. Those two were dangerous. They never accepted defeat. If they wanted something, they would destroy anyone standing in their way.
Would Mia be okay? What were they saying to her? I paced across the hallway, my footsteps echoing against the polished marble floor. Every passing second tightened the knot in my chest.
My eyes drifted to the enormous family portrait hanging on the wall. Father stood exactly as he always did. Straight. Cold. Untouchable. His expression looked carved from stone. Mother leaned against his shoulder, dressed in an elegant cream gown, a per
