How to Fake a Love Story

15:Of Forgiveness

Ryan and Jared followed Myra out onto the rooftop of the building. Ryan prayed to every god and deity he had ever heard about. He promised he would do whatever penance it took only if he could survive this life-threatening encounter with a crazy ex-wife.

When Myra stopped walking, Ryan started fidgeting slightly and considering possible methods of escape from—possibly two—murderous psychopaths.

Ryan wondered why he was walking out here willingly instead of running away, because this probably wasn't going to end well for him.

Escape routes sounded really good right about now.

These escape routes included, but were not limited to: Jumping off the edge of the building, faking a heart attack, and screaming fire as loudly as possible—the last of which was a questionable tactic.

The view was amazing from here, Ryan could see nearly half of Rosewood from up here. Of course, he was too busy thinking up escape plans that didn't end up with him dying or being killed by his companions to truly enjoy it.

"What's wrong, Myra? Tell me." Jared asked, first to break the silence.

When Myra turned around, she did just that.

It was long.

It was epic.

It was unpleasant.

He wondered if having Myra kill him physically would be less horrible than the torture she was putting him through by making them listen to the way he charmed his way into her life, married her and left after emptying one of her bank account.

When he had been conning her, it hadn't felt that bad as she was making it seem.

Her words seemed to stab him over and over again as she recounted the ways he courted her in detail. It wasn't the fact that the recounting of their past to his current target that haunted him, it was the fact that Myra's voice was quivering when she revealed everything that got to him.

She didn't state he was a con artist—he doubted she knew it but she had cemented the fact that he was nothing but a gold digger.

There was a long moment of silence where Myra just stood there—red-faced and ready to dish out some serious hurt while Jared kept quiet, probably digesting all the information.

What happened next Ryan never would've expected.

Slowly, painfully slowly, Jared folded his arms. And sighed. And then he—

"So what?"

Myra's mouth dropped open in shock.

So did Ryan's.

He was standing a few steps behind Jared so he couldn't see his ex- boyfriend's face but the look must have been something else for Myra to look so angry.

But even Ryan was wondering what was wrong with Jared.

His friend had just admitted that Ryan was a gold digger who probably started a relationship with Jared for his money and Jared was asking so what?

"So what!? So what!? What do you mean so what!?" Myra shrieked, sheer anger colouring her face an unattractive shade of cherry red.

Ryan didn't like the look in her eyes. At all.

And he was pretty sure they were blue, not that orangey, evil-looking colour they were glowing.

He never said he wasn't dramatic.

She advanced forward and Ryan yelped, jumping behind Jared for cover, peeping from behind his back. Myra wound her fist back and—

"I'll tell you so what! I'm going to pound that damn little pretty boy's—"

"Sorry, my dear, but you won't be hitting his pretty face today."

Her eyes widened in disbelief as her fist smacked uselessly against Jared's palm.

Myra looked livid.

She swung with her other hand.

And it was blocked easily by Jared's other arm, who twisted it to grip her wrist disarmingly.

Blinking in confusion, she growled and tugged at her restraints, to free her weapons from Jared's grip.

Ryan watched the events unfold before him with a surprised sort of awe and the revelation that Jared made a pretty good shield against things intent on killing him.

Though that still didn't explain why Jared wasn't intent on killing him like Myra was. Afterall, it had been revealed that Ryan may just be a gold-digger back of Jared's money.

"Why are you protecting that asshole!?" Myra screeched furiously, unable to do anything else, continuing to try and free her hands. Ryan knew for a fact that Myra didn't like feeling helpless, and having the ability to maim and destroy taken away from her wasn't helping. "He's a jerk! An i***t! A traitor! A... A... Why are you protecting him!?"

It seemed like Myra was having similar thoughts to Ryan.

Ryan glanced at Jared from the corner of his eyes as he came to stand beside the man. The roof was well lit and he could see Jared's face clearly. Jared merely smiled patiently and understandingly until Myra was spent from yelling obscenity after obscenity.

Ryan thought that they were lucky to be away from the party. He doubted anyone would be happy with them for all the commotion they were causing.

"Why...?" she gasped at last, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Because I love him," Jared replied calmly once the storm had spent itself.

And that shocked not only Myra but Ryan too, even though it was the second time he heard it aside from a few moments ago. Somehow, Jared admitting it in front of Myra made it a lot more real than him whispering it to Ryan.

Myra blinked. Her eyebrows knit together helplessly. "You what?"

Jared's voice was calm and steady, "You heard me. You might have been my first kiss and first crush—" Ryan blinked in understanding. Oh, so that was their connection. "—but he's my first love."

Ryan swallowed, looking at Jared with slight confusion. According to him, Jared shouldn't be confessing his love. He should be teaming up with Myra to murder him or get him thrown into jail.

The only thing you could hear up on the roof for a while was the blowing wind.

"Really?" Myra whispered as Jared let go of her hands. They dropped uselessly to her sides as Jared nodded.

Myra seemed to be stumped—for the first time in all the months Ryan had known her. She stared at Jared in shock as she digested the news. Ryan could see an array of emotions flashing through her sapphire blue eyes but he was unable to decode any of them.

Slowly, Jared stepped away, and Ryan's eyes widened, wondering if he had been sentenced to death after all. Whatever the reason, Ryan realized he was now alone in this. Myra stepped towards him and wound her hand back.

"Myra, please, don't be hasty—"

The acute sensation of pain spread out heatedly across his face as he was suddenly looking to his right, straight at the sympathetic looking Jared.

The slap hurt just as much as last time.

Jared took a few more steps back and Ryan wondered if that was his way of condemning Ryan to die after declaring his love.

Wasn't he supposed to save Ryan if he loved him?

Hands cupped his face and he was pulled into a gentle kiss. His eyes widened and Ryan found his lips connected to Myra's as she kissed him. A deer-in-the-headlights sensation overtook him by storm.

She was kissing him. Willingly.

Was it a kiss of death?

She broke the kiss but touched her forehead to his, not relinquishing the hold on his face. "You are an ass. You are the worst boyfriend I have ever had. The worst husband too." She whispered, her eyes still tightly shut. Ryan had a feeling she was trying not to cry.

"You are the shittiest excuse for a person I have ever had the bad luck to meet." She continued in an angrier tone, smacking him against the head lightly.

Face still stinging from the earlier slap, Ryan winced. "I'm sorry, Myra."

Myra pulled back a little and her shoulders slumped. "I know you are. You always are. You're such a jerk to me, but I still care for you. It makes me wonder if I'm the idiot."

Ryan looked at Myra—really looked at her for once.

And a pang of guilt hit him hard in the chest.

Unlike a few moments ago, there was no anger in her expression; just disappointment and sadness. The fiery Myra Richards he had charmed was gone only to be replaced by the downtrodden Myra Grayson. A few tears slipped down her cheeks despite her efforts to control them.

He had caused this.

"Myra, I—" He stopped.

"I thought—I really thought that I would kill you if I ever got my hands on you." She admitted, her voice still a whisper. He knew that Jared couldn't hear what they were speaking above the blowing wind since he was quite a fair distance away.

Ryan was thankful for the privacy.

"But I guess my rage isn't as strong as I thought it was. For some reason, I still care for you despite the fact that you broke my heart."

He took in a sharp breath at that.

"Don't think this means I will forget what you did." Her voice is now sharp even if it's still a bit low. "I am forgiving you for my peace of mind, not because I am excusing your behaviour."

"I—I don't underst—" He had never stuttered before. But then, he had never been in such a situation before.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't love you anymore. Not after what you have done to me. But," her gaze pinned him,"You were my first love and will always hold a special place in my heart, whether you like it or not. And I am letting you go because that i***t there matters more to me than my pride." She glanced at Jared.

"Aren't you angry at him?" The question tumbled out of his lips before he could stop it. At her raised eyebrows, he clarified. "For taking my side."

"He didn't really take your side, did he?" She smiled softly. "He merely gave me a chance to clear everything out between us without his interference."

Smiling softly at her, Ryan touched a hand gently to her cheek, brushing away the tears that had slipped down her cheeks.

"Don't hurt Jared. He has already lost a lot in his life. I don't want him to lose you too. Especially if he loves you as much as he claims." She whispered as Jared started to make his way towards them.

Ryan gulped and wondered what would she do if she came to know what he was really doing to do.

Jared made a point by clearing his throat.

Shaking her head, Myra stepped away, wiping her eyes. Turning side to face Jared,

Myra let out a long sigh and threw her head back to stare at the inky night sky before smiling.

"Take care of this i***t, Jared—he may be an ass most of the times..." Myra smiled, turning back to Ryan. "But I think he's still worth it."

Ryan was stumped. Again.

He couldn't think of a reason why Myra—who had, until the past few minutes, been out for his blood—would be defending him. Let alone telling Jared he was worth it when he really wasn't.

Maybe Myra wasn't as stone hearted and logical as she wanted others to think.

Maybe she thought that there was some good in him and Jared was the one who could bring it out.

Ryan didn't want to think about how wrong she was about him.

Jared smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."

Myra started to walk towards the door, stopping a few metres away. "Winston!" she suddenly yelled, commando-style.

Jared stiffened, standing at attention, looking like he was resisting the urge to salute.

"No one is allowed to make him cry but me; understand?"

Ryan could see a shiver run down Jared's spine.

"I'll hunt you down and kill you otherwise," she finished, never losing that threatening tone from her voice.

"Y-Yes, Ma'am."

Wow.

Jared stuttered.

Only one thought ran through Ryan's head at this; Thank God she's on my side now.

And Myra was gone.

Ryan then found himself alone with Jared on the roof. A sense of overwhelming gratitude towards Jared bubbled in his chest. It felt strange. Ryan wasn't the kind of person who thanked people for anything—usually because people had aversions to doing nice things for someone who had just duped them out of extravagant amounts of cash.

So, he turned to Jared with a genuine, awkward smile on his lips, "Tha—"

"Do you still want to break up?" Jared asked despondently, looking away—a look of hurt crossing his face.

Kicked Puppy Look.

And suddenly Ryan felt like every bit the jerk Myra knew him to be.

If he just dropped Jared now, he'd feel even worse since Jared had just defended him from the living embodiment of the apocalypse come early.

Not only that, but Jared l—that 'L' word—him.

And after the talk Myra had just given him, he felt like the word mattered more than he ever thought it did.

Ugh.

He'd have to somehow deal with that.

Somehow.

Somehow.

He bit his lip. "I... maybe... I was too hasty with... that. I mean, for that, just now, I sort of... owe you... a favour, I guess."

And that was the only reason he was giving in.

Before he could say anything else, Jared crossed the distance between them and Ryan ended up being hugged by Jared.

Ryan wasn't used to being hugged by people. The arms around his waist held on tight and he could feel the warmth emanating from Jared even through the layers of clothing. Against the chilly air, the heat was comforting. He was about to stop squirming and maybe just relax his head on Jared's shoulder—the man was warm and Ryan hated the cold—when Jared stepped back, looking him over appraisingly.

Humming, the businessman grinned.

Uh oh.

Ryan didn't like the look in his eyes at all.