Ronan's POV
I had always prided myself on control. Control of my emotions, control of my business, control of my life. And especially, control in the dynamic I built with Katie. Every boundary, every negotiation, every aspect of our scenes was meticulously crafted, designed for safety, for trust, for mutual satisfaction. But control was an illusion, a fragile shield against the chaos of the world.
Chad. His shadow still lingered, a venomous whisper in her ear, twisting everything good, everything pure, everything we had built. He was the ghost of Christmas past, not just for her, but for me. The monster I had to protect her from, the monster she now mistakenly saw in me.
I closed my eyes, picturing her face, her eyes wide with fear, her body recoiling. It wasn't just Chad's reappearance
