Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 205

**TITLE: Dreams Refuse Gravity by Leo Arden Knox**
**Chapter 205: Feel Sick**

“No, I can’t let you go. If you leave, it will be just like before. Everyone always leaves me…” he murmured, his voice barely audible, yet laden with despair.

The memories flooded back, sharp and biting. Gregory had walked away without a second thought. Audrey, his beloved sister, had slipped from his grasp forever. Even those who once professed their love had vanished into the ether, leaving him alone in a world that felt increasingly empty.

“Useless tools don’t deserve to exist!” Gregory’s harsh words reverberated in his mind, a cruel mantra that twisted like a knife in his heart.

Was that truly the reason they all abandoned him? Was he merely a discarded tool, unworthy of love and connection?

Riley’s gaze was fixed on him, her eyes wide with concern. Here stood the man who always seemed to be blessed by the heavens, untouchable and invincible, yet now he wore an expression so fragile it made her heart ache.

What horrors had he faced as a child that had carved such deep wounds into his soul?

Her chest tightened with a mix of pity and a simmering anger.

“I will never leave you. Not ever,” she declared, her voice steady and resolute, cutting through the fog of his despair.

His lashes fluttered as if awakening from a long slumber. Slowly, her voice began to penetrate the haze that clouded his mind. The fog in his eyes started to lift, revealing the reality around him.

“Riley…” he murmured, blinking rapidly as clarity returned. “Did I… lose control just now?”

“No,” she replied softly, her tone soothing. “You just grabbed my wrist. Nothing more. You didn’t hurt me.”

He glanced down and noticed his fingers still encircling her wrist. A rush of logic urged him to release her, to let go of the connection that felt so vital. But his body refused to comply. The mere thought of loosening his grip felt akin to watching her slip away into the abyss, never to return.

“I’m not leaving you, Sebastian. You’re my boyfriend now,” Riley whispered, her breath warm against his skin.

Those words struck him like lightning. They jolted him from his turmoil, and at long last, his grip relaxed.

With her hands freed, Riley didn’t push him away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly as if anchoring him to reality. “You’re not alone. I’m here. And if I ever see your father again, I swear I’ll give him a proper thrashing.”

Sebastian blinked, taken aback by her fierce declaration. Gradually, his eyelids lowered, and a faint smile began to tug at the corners of his lips. “Yeah… you’re here.”

In that nightmare he had just escaped, there had been nothing but darkness, the acrid stench of blood, and the haunting silhouettes of people turning their backs on him. No matter how desperately he reached out, they had all walked away, leaving him behind without a single backward glance.

But then her voice had sliced through the void.

Until Riley had found him, reaching out to pull him back from the brink.

“Riley…” He let his head fall against the crook of her neck, the weight of his weariness pressing down on him. “Thank you… for being here. With you by my side, I’m not afraid of anything.”

The truth was, there was only one thing that truly terrified Sebastian—her leaving him, just like everyone else.

“So…” he began, his voice low and almost pleading, a fragile thread of vulnerability hanging in the air between them.

“How about we grab a bite first?” Lara suggested, glancing at the time. It was nearly six o’clock, and everyone was beginning to feel the pangs of hunger.

The four of them headed toward a trendy restaurant, immediately drawing attention the moment they entered.

Sebastian and Vince, in particular, attracted lingering stares from nearly every woman in the establishment.

Once seated, they placed their orders, and soon the dishes began arriving one after another.

Riley picked up her fork, eager to dig into her meal. But as she took a bite of fish, a wave of nausea washed over her, and she quickly clapped a hand over her mouth.

“What’s wrong?” Lara asked, concern etched across her features.

“I’m feeling sick… maybe it’s just an old stomach issue flaring up—”

“Feeling sick? Are you… pregnant?” Lara blurted out, her eyes widening in shock.

The sound of metal clattering against tile echoed in the air as Vince dropped his fork, his expression turning to one of disbelief.

Sebastian, too, turned to Riley, surprise written all over his face. “Riley, are you pregnant?” Vince demanded, his voice rising as he grabbed Sebastian by the collar, fury radiating from him.

“Sebastian, how could you treat her like this? What the hell did you do?” he snarled, his face flushed with indignation.