Later, when Ryan emerged and collapsed into bed, Linda followed. She slipped under the covers and draped an arm over him. “What’s wrong?” she murmured, her fingers trailing lightly over his chest. “Did work not go well?”
Ryan shifted uncomfortably and pushed her hand away. “I’m just tired,” he muttered.
But it wasn’t work that had left him feeling drained. It was seeing Sophia again—so radiant, so self-assured. Her presence had stirred something in him, a bitter mix of regret and longing. How had he let someone like her slip through his fingers?
Linda’s voice broke through his thoughts. “You’re sure? You’ve been so distant lately.”
Ryan sat up and looked at her, his gaze sharp. “What do you want, Linda?”
Her lips pressed into a pout. “I heard Director Matthews is casting for a new film. I was thinking… maybe you could help me get an audition?”
Ryan’s jaw clenched. He knew Linda had been desperate to revive her acting career ever since her reputation had taken a nosedive a few years back. But her persistence grated on him now more than ever.
“I’ll think about it,” he said, his tone dismissive.
Linda scooted closer, attempting to wrap her arms around him again. “Ryan, you know how much this means to me—”
“Enough,” he snapped, pulling away. “I’m not in the mood.”
Linda froze, hurt flashing across her face. She watched him lie back down, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. “What’s really bothering you?” she asked softly.
Ryan didn’t answer. How could he explain that the sight of Sophia had thrown his world into disarray? That being with Linda, once a source of pride and revenge, now felt hollow and suffocating?
He turned onto his side, away from her. As he closed his eyes, memories of Sophia’s confident smile and dismissive tone replayed in his mind. The contrast between her and Linda was stark and unrelenting. For the first time, he began to question whether his choices had truly led him to happiness—or just further away from it.
In the darkness, Linda lay awake, her thoughts racing. She could feel Ryan slipping through her fingers, and it terrified her. Determined not to lose him, she resolved to do whatever it took to keep him by her side.
But as Ryan drifted into a restless sleep, one thing became clear: the life he had built with Linda was no longer enough.
Sophia's POV :
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The readers' comments on the novel: After I left, the twin Alphas went crazy