Approved for Her Rejected for Me novel Chapter 22

Chapter 5

Riley’s POV

I lifted my eyes, calm and detached.

My roommate, who had just heard my entire story, exploded in fury. She shoved the man backward

and pointed right at his face, spitting each word like venom.

“Your sister? Please. Cut the tragic-hero garbage. You’re disgusting.”

Grayson’s brows tightened, though he tried to keep his gentleman façade.

“You must be Riley’s friend. Could you give us a moment? I want to speak to her alone.”

“This is my home.” She laughed coldly. “Get out.”

She stood in front of me, eyes burning, the wolf inside her almost breaking through.

“If it weren’t for you, Riley wouldn’t be like this. If it weren’t for you, her face wouldn’t—”

“What happened to her face?”

Grayson cut in sharply, his voice tightening. Only now did he realize that I hadn’t taken off my mask

since he arrived. He stared at me, pupils trembling.

“Riley… what happened?”

I lightly patted my roommate’s shoulder. “I’m fine. Go back to your room.”

The moment the door closed, the silence felt suffocating.

I reached up and slowly pulled the mask off.

The right side of my face was a landscape of uneven flesh, mottled scars, and warped skin. My lip was split at the edge, as if a blade had carved off a section.

Grayson froze like lightning had struck him.

Then he lurched forward, trembling, reaching as if to touch me, but his hand shook so violently he couldn’t bring himself to lay a finger on me.

“What… what happened?” His voice cracked. “Riley, who did this to you? How-”

I pushed his hand away and sat back down.

Chapter 5

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“You pulled Briar out first. You left me. The car caught fire. This is the result.”

Grayson stood rooted to the floor. His chest heaved, eyes welled up with tears.

The knuckles hanging at his sides clenched until they turned bone white. Finally, he dropped to his knees in front of me, looking up with a voice shredded to pieces.

“I’m sorry, Riley. I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know… When we were kids, I promised I’d protect

you. I… I failed. I failed you completely.”

I turned my head away.

“Your apology is noted. But whatever existed between us is settled. From now on, pretend we never

knew each other.”

Grayson’s fingers trembled, like all strength had drained out of him.

“Settled?” he echoed hoarsely, disbelief shaking his voice. “You’re my sister. When Mom and Dad died, I promised them I’d take care of you for the rest of my life.”

I let out a quiet laugh, bitter as rust.

“Take care of me?” I met his eyes. “That promise seems broken from where I stand.”

His face went completely pale. And as I watched him, I felt only coldness.

Because he had lost nothing, while I had lost everything. His suffering now was nothing more than

overdue consequences.

Grayson swallowed hard, as if wanting to say something else. But when he saw the contempt in my eyes, his entire body faintly shuddered.

“Go,” I said. “Don’t come back. I’ve already changed my name. I dropped Monroe. You don’t get to

call me your sister anymore.”

His pupils constricted violently, like he’d been punched. “D… dropped Monroe?”

He whispered, dazed. “Riley, how can you-how do I face Mom and Dad—”

I gave a small, almost pleasant smile. “Tell them I’m already dead.”

It was like someone crushed his throat barehanded. His entire body shook.

“Don’t… Riley, please…” His voice trembled. “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have changed your

Chapter 5

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academy placement, and I should never have left you in that car-”

“Enough.”

I cut him off, my nails digging into my palm.

I thought those five-year-old wounds had long been buried.

But hearing him admit it, with the phrase I was wrong, dragged every drop of blood and hatred back

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