Chapter 23
Tears filled Hannah’s eyes as she fell into Ryder’s arms. “Yes,” she whispered through her emotion. “Yes, I will.”
Outside the hospital room window, Kaden witnessed their embrace, each second feeling like a knife twisting in his chest.
He looked down at the small urn containing Phoebe’s ashes cradled in his arms, a bitter smile crossing his face as he turned and walked away.
Back in New York, he laid Phoebe to rest in the family mausoleum, saying a final goodbye to the
sister he had loved but failed to save.
Five Years Later
Ryder Stain’s name had become synonymous with success throughout California’s business world.
From an unknown scholarship student, he had transformed himself into a business prodigy, holding controlling interests in multiple publicly traded companies and amassing a considerable fortune in
the process.
Yet despite standing at the pinnacle of commercial success, his private life remained an enigma to the public.
There was never a shortage of potential partners in Ryder’s orbit. Socialites, celebrities, and industry peers all attempted to capture his attention at various points.
He remained unfailingly polite but distant in his rejections–like a man whose heart had been claimed long ago, leaving no room for anyone else.
Paparazzi staked out his homes and offices, desperate to capture an image of the woman who had won his devotion.
But Ryder protected her fiercely, never allowing her face to appear in the public eye.
Until one evening, when a persistent photographer hiding in an upscale shopping center’s parking garage captured a rare moment.
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Ryder’s sleek car pulled into the private section. He stepped out and walked around to the passenger side, opening the door with a gentleness that caught the photographer’s attention.
A woman in a flowing white dress emerged, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, her face completely obscured by Ryder’s tall frame as he positioned himself between her and any potential
onlookers.
The photographer’s heart raced as he adjusted his telephoto lens, hoping for the shot that would
make his career.
Ryder leaned down and kissed the woman tenderly, his movements careful and reverent, as though he were handling something irreplaceably precious.
The photographer held his breath, shifting position to capture the woman’s face, but Ryder’s protective stance never wavered.
All the photographer could hear was Ryder’s deep, affectionate voice: “I love you more today than yesterday.”
The woman’s soft laughter carried in the night air. “You say that every day.”
“Because every day it’s true,” Ryder replied, his voice warm with devotion.
The images hit the headlines within hours: “Business Tycoon Ryder Stain’s Mystery Woman Finally Appears!”
But despite the media frenzy, no one managed to identify the woman. Her face remained hidden, her name unspoken in public. Ryder had made certain of that.
In his New York penthouse, Kaden Humphrey stared at the photograph splashed across the financial news site on his tablet.
He studied the silhouette of the woman for a long time, committing every detail to memory.
In all these years, Kaden had never reentered Hannah’s life. He remained alone in his empty home, running his empire with mechanical precision.
He had come to accept that he would never love anyone else.
For the rest of his days, he would walk alone.
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Chapter 23
Life has a twisted sense of humor sometimes.
As Ryder’s career skyrocketed, the California mansion, multi–million dollar deals, and camera–ready smiles became his everyday reality.
The West Group empire expanded under his control, earning him the industry nickname “The Business Emperor.”
With each new acquisition and power play, the young man who once risked his life for Hannah faded away.
The boardroom became his natural habitat, the rush of closing deals his new addiction.
Hannah, once the center of his universe, became just another beautiful asset in his collection–appreciated but ultimately replaceable as his eyes wandered to newer, shinier prospects.
Even their adorable daughter Eva couldn’t rekindle the warmth they once shared.
While he maintained the picture–perfect family man image in public, behind closed doors he grew increasingly distant from both Hannah and their child.
Then Cathy entered the picture, and everything changed.
Hannah had to face reality–men change.
Just as she once thought Kaden would love Phoebe forever, Ryder’s promise of “I’ll love you had become life’s cruelest joke.
She wasn’t the same compliant woman anymore.
forever”
Standing at the gates of Oak Lane School, confronting those vicious parents and the smug Cathy, Hannah remembered all she’d endured.
Whether with Kaden or now with Ryder, she’d always been the one compromising, backing down,
keeping the peace.
But not this time.
She wouldn’t let anyone–not Ryder, not Cathy–walk all over her again.
14han Darat Comes Too Late
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The pain of her past had taught her strength.
This time, she would fight for herself and her daughter.
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