Chapter 5
574words
I sequestered myself in my cottage, refusing all visitors. I knew Ryan wouldn't let things end this way. Sure enough, three days later, he appeared at my door.
"Gracie, we need to talk," Ryan said, his voice deliberately gentle, all previous rage carefully hidden.
I regarded him with icy detachment. "There's nothing to discuss. You made your feelings quite clear when you called off our wedding."
"I was hasty," Ryan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Seeing you with Damian... I just lost it. Jealousy got the better of me."
"Jealousy?" I scoffed. "Don't insult my intelligence. You've never loved me. It's always been Rosie."
Ryan shook his head vehemently. "No, Rosie means nothing to me. She's delusional, obsessed. You're the only woman I've ever truly wanted."
To my shock, he dropped to his knees, taking my hands in his. "Gracie, please forgive me. I can't lose you. Not like this."
Looking down at Ryan—the mighty Alpha on his knees—I savored the moment. In my previous life, I had begged for just a fraction of this devotion. Now that I had him groveling, I felt nothing but contempt.
"Get up," I said flatly. "You look pathetic. I need time to think about all this."
Ryan rose, hope kindling in his eyes. "Take all the time you need. I'll wait for you, Gracie. However long it takes."
After he left, I allowed myself a small, victorious smile. Ryan's desperation had nothing to do with love—he needed this alliance to maintain his political position. A canceled wedding would damage his standing with both communities.
Later that day, Damian knocked softly at my door.
"Gracie?" he called gently. "Are you okay? I've been worried about you."
"I'm better now," I said, offering him a genuine smile. "Thank you for defending me against Ryan."
Damian shifted uncomfortably, then took a deep breath. "Gracie, I need to be honest with you. What I feel for you goes beyond friendship. From the moment we met, I've been drawn to your strength and compassion."
I widened my eyes in perfectly feigned surprise. "Damian..."
"I know the timing is terrible," he continued hastily, "but I want you to know that whatever you decide—about Ryan, about your future—I'll support you. No conditions, no expectations."
Something unexpected happened then—I was genuinely moved by Damian's sincerity. His words carried a warmth Ryan's never had. Ryan's "love" was all about control and possession; Damian offered respect and support.
"Thank you, Damian," I said softly, my planned manipulation momentarily forgotten. "Your honesty means more than you know."
Damian smiled warmly and left, respecting my need for space—something Ryan had never done.
I stood by the window, watching shadows lengthen across the forest. My plan was working perfectly—Ryan and Rosie were at odds, and Damian had fallen for me just as I'd hoped.
But something unexpected had happened—my own heart had begun to waver. Damian's genuine care showed me what real love might look like. If I'd met him first in my previous life, how different things might have been.
Yet the fire of vengeance still burned hot within me. I couldn't forget Ryan's betrayal, the sickening sensation of falling through darkness, or the child whose life ended before it began.
In this life, Ryan would pay for what he'd done—no matter what it cost me.
