From Mob Princess to Mugshot Photographer novel Chapter 74

**Chapter 7**

What, exactly, do I regret?

Is it the time spent with him? Or perhaps the decision to part ways?

As the years unfolded, I often stumbled upon snippets of news about Ryker.

It seemed his once-thriving career had hit a wall.

Whispers circulated that he’d burned out—lost that sharp edge that once defined him.

Others pointed fingers at me, claiming I was the architect of his downfall.

Maybe, in the quiet corners of his mind, Ryker believed that too.

If only I hadn’t created that scene at the planetarium, perhaps he would have soared even higher.

But if I’m being honest? Ryker’s struggles no longer held any weight in my life.

Even a sinking ship has nails to salvage, after all.

No matter how low I felt, I knew he was still far better off than I was.

I shot a glance at Stella, and she immediately understood.

With a determined grip on the broom, she began to nudge Ryker toward the exit.

“Didn’t you hear her? We don’t want customers like you.”

“Leave now, or I’ll have to call the cops. You’re killing our business.”

The broom, dusty and worn, left streaks across Ryker’s tailored suit—marks that would linger long after he was gone.

For a moment, he lingered there, and then a smile crept across his face—helpless, almost resigned.

“I get it,” he said softly, a hint of acceptance in his voice.

Before he slipped away, he placed a bank card on the counter.

I glanced at it, my heart racing as I registered the amount—five million dollars.

Stella urged me to keep it, insisting it was what Ryker owed me.

“Five million? Hell, even five hundred million wouldn’t come close to covering the debt he owes you.”

Then she paused, her brow furrowing as realization dawned on her.

“Wait. When you two divorced… you didn’t just walk away empty-handed, did you?”

“Ryker’s loaded. He could have tossed you pocket change, and you wouldn’t be stuck running a hot dog stand at your age.”

But the truth was, I did walk away with nothing.

Not because I was too proud to accept his money.

No, it was because I simply couldn’t win.

That catastrophic scene I caused at the planetarium? It left Ryker humiliated.

And he was hell-bent on teaching me a lesson I wouldn’t forget.

He hired lawyers, ensuring I left with nothing but the clothes on my back.

In the courtroom, he stood tall, declaring that everything I had ever owned came from him.

“Allison, whatever I gave you, I can take back at any moment.”

“People must pay for their actions.”

“You broke our agreement. Now you must face the consequences.”

To be honest? Walking away with nothing was the better outcome.

At that time, Ryker was consumed by the desire to make his little mistress happy.

He even toyed with the idea of drowning me in debt post-divorce.

When someone as intelligent and powerful as him sets their sights on destroying an ordinary person,

it hardly takes effort. A mere flick of the wrist, and you’re done for.

“Weren’t you afraid I might hurt you too?”

But I wasn’t.

My therapist had told me that kindness is never a mistake.

“The ones who wronged you weren’t you. They were.”

“You shouldn’t punish yourself for their mistakes or start harboring hatred for everyone because of them.”

I found Stella one chilly spring day, right outside the diner.

She had come to Hartford in search of work but fell victim to a scam, losing all her savings.

With nowhere to turn, she wanted to ask for food but couldn’t bring herself to beg.

My heart ached for her. So, I let her stay and offered her a job.

It was a reflection of the compassion I’d feel for a stray cat or dog wandering the streets, lost and alone.

Even if I could rewind time a hundred times over—

I still wouldn’t have the heart to let eight-year-old Ryker freeze to death in that stairwell.

I wouldn’t have the heart to watch teenage Nova squander her potential.

Stella nodded, her expression softening, and then, in a sudden burst of affection, she leaned in and kissed my cheek.

“You’re the best, Allison.”

“Ryker lost someone incredible. Let him live with that regret.”

Whether he truly regretted it or not? I couldn’t say.

What I did know was that our chance meeting felt like a pebble tossed into a vast lake.

Before it could even create ripples, it sank without a trace.

I didn’t dwell on it—until Nova showed up.