Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 38

**TITLE: Dreams Refuse Gravity by Leo Arden Knox**
**Chapter 38: Blaming Each Other**

“Riley, perhaps we could just—”

“Just forget about it? Brush it off as a misunderstanding?” Riley’s eyebrow shot up, her expression a mix of disbelief and sarcasm. “Bryce, is that really what you want me to say?”

His throat tightened, as if a lump had lodged itself there, making it impossible to voice his thoughts. The words he longed to say remained trapped, swirling in a storm of frustration and confusion.

Suddenly, Lara erupted, her voice slicing through the tense atmosphere. “Bryce, your mother and sister just launched a full-on assault on Riley, and you want to label it a misunderstanding? If Riley hadn’t been able to defend herself, do you have any inkling of what could have happened to her?”

Bryce felt the heat of embarrassment rise to his cheeks, the verbal onslaught landing with the force of a slap.

Before the situation could escalate further, the sound of sirens pierced the air, and soon enough, police officers arrived on the scene.

Claire appeared utterly terrified, her body trembling uncontrollably. “I’m not going to the police station! Please, Bryce, help me! I can’t go to jail…” Her voice quaked with desperation, the fear of consequences looming large in her mind.

Amanda, who had always projected confidence, now clung to Bryce, her face pale. “Bryce, don’t let these cops take us away!”

The chaos around them felt surreal, like a scene from a twisted play where everyone was stuck in their roles, unable to escape the unfolding drama.

“Your mother?” Lara continued, her tone dripping with irony. “She certainly didn’t act her age when she was about to hit Riley.”

Bryce chose to ignore Lara’s biting sarcasm, his focus unwavering on Riley, who seemed to be sinking deeper into disappointment. “This is our family business. Don’t you think?”

“Family business?” Riley scoffed, her heart plummeting.

What had she expected from him? That after witnessing the entire debacle firsthand, he would finally stand by her side? That he would support her just this once?

But none of that ever materialized. Instead, she was met with a cascade of letdowns, each one leaving her feeling more desolate than the last.

Perhaps Riley had endured so many disappointments that her heart had grown numb, almost indifferent to the pain. She felt that familiar pang of resignation, the thought echoing in her mind, “Yep, saw that coming.”

“You have never treated me like family, so how is this a family business?” she shot back, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

“Of course, you’re my wife. We treat you like family,” Bryce retorted, his voice filled with a mix of defensiveness and confusion.

“Had you treated Bella like this today, would you still be saying the same thing?” Lara interjected, her eyes narrowing at Bryce.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Bella, sensing the tension, jumped in. “If it were me, I wouldn’t put Bryce in such an awkward position. Riley, you weren’t actually hurt, so why are you being so aggressive about this?”

Riley’s eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with cold disdain. “Well, I hope you get the chance to prove that someday, Ms. Sinclair. I truly hope you can walk the walk.”

“You—” Bella shot back, her expression fierce.

“Enough!” the officer barked, stepping in to restore order. He motioned for the two men still groaning on the floor to be taken away. Then, he turned his attention to Amanda and Claire, ready to cuff them as well.

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