Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 226

Chapter 226 I Love You

But now, her eyes were unmistakably red and puffy.

Clearly, she hadn’t just shed a few tears. She had cried hopelessly.

Had someone hurt her? Had something happened?

He’d always treated her like precious glass, wanting nothing more than to keep her safe and smiling. But now, she had returned in tears.

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“Who was it?” His voice was low, laced with a rare anger. “Who made you cry? Tell me.”

Sebastian was usually unfazed by everything, but seeing Riley’s tear–streaked face sparked a fire in him he never knew he had.

“It’s not what you think.” Her voice was hoarse, still muffled against his chest.

She had cried at the base because she’d heard Samuel’s voice again.

Watching his drone footage felt like those memories were just yesterday, as if five years hadn’t gone by.

But when she came home, opened the door, and saw Sebastian sitting on the couch waiting for her, something in her chest twisted unexpectedly. Her nose tingled, and the urge to cry

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came rushing back.

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Ever since Samuel went missing and her parents passed, she

hadn’t had a home.

She once believed Bryce would give her one. But he didn’t.

Even after three years of marriage, the Murphy family had never truly accepted her.

But now, standing in her apartment doorway, she felt something she hadn’t in ages–like she was finally home.

“Sebastian, just let me hold you for a little while,” Riley whispered.

“Okay,” he murmured, his voice low and gentle, letting her cling to him.

It was a long moment before Riley finally loosened her grip and lifted her head.

Her eyes were even redder than before, misted with a fresh layer of tears that hadn’t yet fallen.

“What happened?” he asked softly. “Don’t cry.”

His fingers brushed her cheek, tenderly wiping the tears at the corner of her eyes.

“Whatever it is, I’ll fix it. I promise.”

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Her chest ached even more, but this time from something warmer. Despite everything, a smile found its way to her lips. “Sebastian, how could I not love you?”

“What?” He froze, staring at her in disbelief. “What did you say?

You love me?”

The normally cool tone of his voice cracked on the last word, trembling slightly with emotion.

Riley blinked away the mist in her eyes, then spoke again–clear and firm.

“Yes, I love you, Sebastian. I love you.”

In that instant, a single tear slipped from the corner of his eye, catching even him by surprise.

Startled, Riley barely had time to react before Sebastian pulled her tightly into his arms.

“Riley, don’t lie to me,” he choked out. “You can’t take it back. You can’t change your mind–not after saying something like

that.”

She gently lifted a hand to comfort him, stroking his back as he held her tight like she was the only thing anchoring him to this world.

“I meant every word. I won’t take it back, and I won’t regret it. I love you, Sebastian.”

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To him, her words sounded like heaven.

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He’d thought last night was already more than he deserved, a gift from heaven.

Whether she’d been caught up in the moment or just pitied his feelings, he would’ve taken it gratefully.

All he wanted was to make her need him more, to like him more.

But now, she’d said it–she loved him.

He couldn’t believe his luck. His heart felt like it might burst with gratitude.

“Riley… Riley…” he kept whispering her name over and over, holding her tighter.

He just wanted to feel her warmth, to know this was real.

“Hey, stop that,” Riley cupped his face, thumbs brushing over his tear–stained cheeks. “You just told me not to cry, and now look who’s crying.”

“Can’t help it,” he choked out, his voice thick with emotion. “Never thought I could be this happy.”

His happiness was infectious, making her heart swell. She let out a soft laugh, wiping away his tears. “Let’s stay happy from now on, okay? And when we find Samuel, I’ll tell him straight up you’re my choice. You’re the one I love.”

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Sebastian’s eyes flickered downward, his long lashes casting shadows that barely hid the flash of guilt in his eyes.

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“And one more thing,” Riley said. “I went to the base today and picked up the drone Samuel was using before he went missing. I looked through some of the SD cards. There were video files saved, and I heard his voice. That’s why I was crying.”

Sebastian’s arms tightened around her. “Did you find anything useful in the footage?” he asked quickly.

A flicker of sorrow passed through Riley’s eyes. “It confirmed what we feared–Samuel’s disappearance is connected to the fire at the border. The military is leaning toward the conclusion that he didn’t make it.”

“Samuel’s not dead,” Sebastian said sharply, cutting her off.

Riley blinked in surprise.

Sebastian seemed to realize he’d reacted too strongly, and tempered his tone.

“I just believe in him. He’s your brother. I don’t think he’d go down that easily. He’s still out there somewhere. I know it.”

Because as long as Samuel was still alive, the fragile bond between him and Riley still had a chance.

“Yeah,” Riley said softly. “He’s still alive. He has to be.”

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the subject.

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“By the way, I had someone look into what happened back then with Bella and the co–pilot, Jaxon. And we found something interesting.”

As he spoke, he handed her a file folder he’d left earlier on the table.