After I left, the twin Alphas went crazy novel Chapter 104

Outside the door, the faint voice of the maid interrupted my thoughts, calling for us to join everyone downstairs for dinner. My pulse slowed as I tucked my phone away, the residual tension from the call making my hands feel oddly cold.

Lirian’s gaze lingered on me for a beat, his hand lightly pressing against my shoulder in a steadying gesture, as though he could sense the ripple of worry that Zane’s words had left behind.

As we made our way downstairs, I was surprised to find Ryan and Ethan already seated at the dining table, their expressions stiff, a strange, heavy silence stretching across the room. Ryan’s gaze flickered to me as soon as we entered, and he stood up, almost as if on impulse.

“You haven’t left yet?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral, though the sight of him made my shoulders tense.

“I… I wanted to talk to you,” Ryan replied, his gaze darting from Lirian to me, lingering on our intertwined hands. There was a glint of something unresolved in his eyes.

I held back a sigh, glancing at him calmly. “If there’s something you need to say, you can say it here.” I sensed Lirian beside me, his presence a quiet but unmistakable warning.

Ryan seemed to hesitate, then drew a deep breath. “I broke up with Linda.” His words were blunt, almost defiant, as if he expected a reaction from me.

I felt a flicker of irritation at his assumption that this was something I hadn’t already known. “I know,” I said, shrugging. “Linda’s moved on pretty quickly. She’s been hanging around Arman lately. I saw him picking her up from school in his limo. They even kissed in front of the campus.”

Ryan’s face darkened, hurt flashing across his eyes. It was clear Linda’s departure had wounded his pride more than he’d ever admit. After a beat, he managed to say, “I won’t ever get back with her.” He clenched his jaw, a desperate determination settling on his features.

“Sophia, let’s be together.”

A taut silence filled the room as his words settled. Lirian’s hand tightened around mine, his hold like steel. I could feel the barely contained possessiveness radiating from him, a silent promise to shield me from anyone daring to intrude.

Everyone at the table seemed to hold their breath, waiting for Ryan’s reaction. Even Ryan looked taken aback, the confidence draining from his face as the reality of my words struck him. He glared at me, hurt and anger mingling as he blurted out,

“If you wanted to reject me, you could’ve just said so without making up excuses!”

I let out a sigh, settling down at the dining table. “If that’s what you think, Ryan, it’s no one’s fault but your own.” My tone was calm, though there was an edge of finality in my words. “You’re choosing to see it that way because it’s easier to blame me than to look at your own actions.”

Ryan’s fists clenched at his sides, his gaze stormy and defiant. “Fine,” he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. “Wait for me, Sophia. I’ve been working on something—a deal—and soon, I’ll prove to you that I’m the one you should be with.”

There was something dark, almost unsettling in his voice—a tone laced with a dangerous determination that made me uneasy. Silently, I focused on him, activating the mental connection that allowed me to hear his hidden thoughts.