Chapter 63: The Unexpected Encounter

Chapter 63: The Unexpected Encounter

Ryan stood in front of the car like a statue, his chiseled features even more defined by the weight he seemed to have lost. His deep-set eyes, which usually held a charming allure, were now shadowed with a brooding intensity that he would never reveal in front of a camera—an intensity that bordered on unsettling.

The driver turned his head toward Emily, his face showing clear discomfort. "Madam, should I drive around him? We can take a different route."

Emily looked at the man outside, then shook her head. "No need."

She pressed her lips together, contemplating for a moment before opening the door and stepping out.

Ryan visibly started when he saw her, the hardened expression on his face softening immediately. His gaze fixed on Emily as she walked toward him, his eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion.

Ryan spoke, his voice strained, "I thought Chairman Harrison was inside..."

"Do you need to see him?" Emily asked, knowing full well the answer, but still feeling awkward as she swallowed the lump in her throat. "Ryan, didn't we already... clear things up?"

Ryan's eyes dimmed, and he nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"Yes, you made it very clear," he said with a bitter smile. "I thought after you rejected me, I would be able to move on..."

"But I can't."

Emily's heart skipped a beat, and she glanced at him with a mix of emotions.

Ryan's gaze fell to the ground, his long lashes casting shadows over his downcast eyes.

"The first time I saw you, I started watching you, quietly observing. When I saw you taking photos, I wondered if I'd pursued photography, would I be like you now."

He paused, lifting his eyes slightly to meet hers. "Alisa, you are everything I wanted to be. I couldn't help being drawn to you. And later, when I found out you were married... I didn't expect it to affect me so much. That day, I messed up my scenes multiple times—I just couldn't get into character."

Emily bit her lip and avoided his gaze.

The more honest he was, the more uncomfortable and guilty she felt.

"That day in your studio, when you told me you were divorced, it felt like I was being pulled out of the water, back onto solid ground. I've always lived like a machine, every move programmed for the camera. I've never been in a relationship; dating is a taboo in my world. But when it comes to you, I realized that I don't care what anyone else thinks..."

Ryan sighed, his tone laced with frustration. "Then your background was exposed, and I never imagined you came from such a prominent family. I was even more shocked to find out that the man you married... was him."

Emily's lashes fluttered slightly.

She could relate. After all, when she woke up a year ago, she was equally shocked to discover that she had married Brother Ethan...

"You and Chairman Harrison," Ryan paused, struggling to continue, "you've reconciled, haven't you?"

Emily responded with a soft "Mm" and nodded.

It was the answer Ryan expected, but it didn't stop the heavy weight from settling in his chest.

He pressed his lips together, a bitter laugh escaping him. "I figured it would turn out this way..."

Emily tilted her head. "Hm?"

"Do you remember the accident during the explosion shoot?" Ryan asked her.

"That day, I was the first to notice something was wrong. I was the first to realize you were in danger. But the first person to rush over was Chairman Harrison."

Ryan closed his eyes briefly, his face contorted with the pain of recalling that memory.

"I hesitated," he admitted, his voice quiet as he looked at Emily. "Alisa, that day, I hesitated..."

When he saw her in danger, he was paralyzed with fear.

He wanted to rush to her, to protect her, but his legs refused to move...

Emily shook her head, a soft, understanding smile on her lips. "Hesitation is normal."

"Your entire being is insured. If you were injured, your career and your company would suffer greatly. Your fans would be in an uproar."

Ryan didn't seem comforted by her words.

"Chairman Harrison has even more complex and weighty responsibilities. But he didn't hesitate that day," Ryan said softly. "I used to think your marriage was just like everyone else's—a union tied to the interests of large corporations. I felt sorry for you, thinking that someone as sensitive and passionate as you deserved to be truly loved. I thought I could be that person... I also thought that someone like Chairman Harrison could never, would never, have genuine feelings for anyone."

Ryan frowned, clearly unhappy to admit it. "But when I saw him rush to save you, I realized I was wrong."

His voice was tinged with bitterness. "He really... loves you more than I do."

Emily felt a strange sensation in her chest.

She recalled that day, when Ethan whispered in her ear as he held her close.

"Emily, no one loves you more than I do..."

Back then, she had brushed it off as a cheesy line from a schoolboy crush.

But now, he had proven it to her.

Emily found herself smiling at the memory, only to be brought back to the present by Ryan's voice. "I have just one last question for you."

Emily: "..."

Loved once, after all, I've been your fan for so many years...

"Alisa, if I had met you a few years later, or if when we met, you weren't already married... would we have had a chance?" Ryan's deep eyes were fixed on hers, intense and searching.

Emily stared into those beautifully shaped eyes for a moment, feeling a fleeting sense of confusion.

"I don't know," she said slowly, shaking her head as she exhaled, her shoulders sagging slightly.

"I met Ethan when I was fifteen. Even in our circle, he was always the one people talked about, the one who stood out the most," Emily's voice lowered as she continued, "I grew up hearing so much about him, never imagining that I'd end up marrying him..."

She remembered that day in Paris when she got drunk, and suddenly everything about their marriage became clear.

She remembered the look in his eyes when he said he would marry her, the way he held her, promising she would be his only woman, and the gentle kiss that followed...

"When I married him, I was only twenty. He was my husband, but also my first love. I didn't understand what love, romance, or marriage really meant back then," Emily looked up at Ryan, her words slow and deliberate, "For me, Ethan represents all those things."

"So, aside from him, I don't think... I know how to love anyone else."

As the words left her mouth, Ryan's gaze darkened.

"The last ten years of my life have been all about him. He appeared so early in my life that I never considered anyone else—never even thought about the possibility."

Ryan swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper as he nodded. "I understand."

There is no "what if."

"Are you two... okay now?" he asked quietly.

Emily nodded. "We had our issues, but we've worked them out."

She hesitated for a moment, then added with a small sigh.

Well, not everything is resolved, technically.

That night in Paris, all she remembered was getting drunk. In other words, all she recalled now were the moments when Ethan was being the good guy.

She knew he had a history of being difficult after their marriage, but the specifics of his misdeeds were still unclear to her.

If the day came when she remembered all those things and got angry... well, let's just say his probation period might not end well.

Ryan put his hat back on, looking like he wanted to leave but couldn't quite bring himself to move. He glanced up, the intensity of his gaze hidden beneath the brim of his hat.

"Someone once told me that if I couldn't even secure my own future, how could I guarantee someone else's? I didn't believe it back then," he let out a wry laugh, "but now I understand."

"Because of me, you've been attacked online more times than I can count. Every time I wanted to step in and do something, it only brought you more trouble..."

He was too young. With his current resources and abilities, even if he wanted to, he couldn't give her what she needed.

Perhaps only a man who stands at the very top, like Ethan, could truly protect her...

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you," Ryan said, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. "You don't have to worry. From now on, I'll be more careful about keeping my distance."

Emily shook her head, giving him a small, understanding smile. "Thank you."

Ryan didn't respond, standing silently as he gazed at her.

She could feel the unfiltered emotion in his eyes, even from beneath the brim of his hat.

After a few seconds, Ryan's arm lifted slightly, as if he wanted to hug her.

But just as quickly, he let his arm drop.

He stepped around Emily, taking a couple of steps toward the black SUV parked nearby.

"Chairman Harrison."

Emily: "?"

Emily: "Uh, he—"

Ryan continued as if he hadn't heard her, "This time, I've lost. But I stand by what I said before: I understand how to cherish her more than you do."

"So, if Alisa ever finds herself hurt or disappointed because of you again, I won't let it slide so easily."

Emily: "..."

The lone driver in the car gripped the steering wheel tightly, h

unching his shoulders slightly.

He dared not say a word. :)

**

When Emily arrived at the office, Ethan was on the phone.

Seeing her walk in, he looked up and gave her a warm smile.

Emily moved confidently, like she was in her own space, tossing her bag aside and settling on the couch. She pulled the crystal fruit bowl closer, picking out a large cherry and popping it into her mouth.

After finishing his call, Ethan sat down beside Emily, his arm naturally wrapping around her slim waist.

"Why are you so late? Are you hungry?"

Emily plucked out a cherry pit, her tone indifferent. "Something came up and delayed me."

"Oh?" Ethan raised an eyebrow, "Who did you see?"

Emily turned to meet his knowing gaze, certain that he already had an idea.

"I ran into your rival!" she said irritably. "Good thing I managed to talk him down, or you'd be out there dueling with him right now!"

Ethan chuckled softly, his arm tightening as he effortlessly lifted her onto his lap.

"Is that so? And what did you say to him?"

Before Emily could respond, he raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with amusement, "'The last ten years of my life have been all about him. He appeared so early in my life that I never even considered anyone else...'"

Emily froze, her eyes widening in shock.

"Ethan!" She slapped him on the chest, struggling to free herself. "Were you eavesdropping on me?! How could you be so shameless?"

Ethan sighed, a hint of exasperation in his smile. "I wasn't."

He opened the laptop on the coffee table and turned it to face her.

"The driver sent over the dashcam footage. It's part of his job to report unexpected incidents."

Ethan pulled her closer, his embrace firm yet gentle. "I would never eavesdrop on you."

Emily pouted, letting out a soft "hmph."

Playing innocent.

He might not have eavesdropped, but he was definitely monitoring her.

Otherwise, who sent all those invisible bodyguards to shadow her?

Ethan pressed his forehead to hers, his nose brushing against hers in a playful, affectionate gesture. "Hearing you say those things made me very happy."

His voice was warm and tinged with undeniable joy as he continued, "So you still like me, after all."

Emily's expression said it all—"Oops, I've been caught!"

"Don't get too cocky," she muttered, pinching his firm chest, "Don't forget, you're still on probation."

Ethan's smile was indulgent, "Yes, ma'am."

"Now that my duel with your rival is over, isn't it time to settle things between you two as well?"

Emily's sharp eyes met his as she pulled back slightly.

"What do you mean? There's nothing between us."

Ethan's lips curled into a mysterious smile as he tapped the laptop keyboard.

"Take a look at this."

Emily stared at the screen, stunned.

Wasn't that the fan page she had created for Ryan?!