Their Punching Bag Became The Storm novel Chapter 105

Chapter 105 They’ve Been Waiting for Me

She’d only ever provided her fingerprint and facial recognition for the system; she’d never actually set foot in the place. After that, she’d stayed at the Anderson residence and never bothered to check out her own place.

Honestly, she had no clue how the layout of Prestige Manor worked.

If anyone else were hearing Whitney say this, they’d definitely start questioning whether she really owned a place in Sector S of Prestige Manor.

‘It is Prestige Manor here! How could someone own a villa in Sector S and have never been here?‘ Even Nora and Elian wouldn’t be able to help but question it.

But Ryan didn’t bat an eye. “It’s not far from my place. I’ll take you there.”

He said it wasn’t far, but with their pace, it still took them about twenty minutes to finally reach another section of villas.

The area was about the same size as Ryan’s place, but the design was far more elegant and grander.

Right away, Whitney saw a huge garden and a gate carved with twisting vines, so refined that it could have belonged to castle.

Whitney stood in front of the gate and pressed

the electronic lock.

The screen scanned her face, and with a soft click, the gate unlocked. “Welcome home, little princess.”

That was… a man’s voice.

Even after the electronic modification, Whitney recognized it as the voice of one of her fellow students, Dominick. Her eyes grew misty, and a faint redness spread across her gaze.

‘Little princess… Whitney felt a pang in her heart.

Even though she’d left them and returned to the Anderson family, to them, she would always be their little princess. Whitney bit her lip and walked inside.

She didn’t notice that the man beside her, when he heard that electronic voice, his refined eyes grew deeper, a brooding darkness slowly spreading across his gaze.

After hearing that voice, Whitney found her expression changed ever so slightly, and for a moment, it was like she’d forgotten Ryan existed; she walked straight into the villa as if he wasn’t there at all.

Ryan couldn’t stand being ignored by Whitney because of another guy.

That sour, jealous feeling was slowly eating away at his sanity.

It was as if the urge to have her all to himself was roaring through his veins.

Ryan’s eyes snapped shut.

His hand at his side clenched into a tight fist.

After a few seconds, the heat in his veins finally cooled.

When he opened his eyes again, they regained their usual clarity and that unique tenderness he showed only to Whitney. Ryan followed Whitney, his stride casual but purposeful. “See if there’s anything you need inside. If not, you can get it from my place.”

His voice gently pulled Whitney out of her wandering thoughts.

She turned back to him, paused for a moment, and then gave a slow nod. “Mm.”

She’d been living in Roynfort for two years now, and she still hadn’t set foot in this place.

She honestly had no clue what was inside this villa.

She really needed to take a good look around; if anything was missing, she could still head out and buy it while there was still time.

After all, she’d be staying here for quite a while.

They stepped into the grand hall.

The place was filled with opulent decor and fu

vely crafted and stunningly beautiful.

Successfully unlocked!

Whitney noticed… on the wall hung her favorite

On the coffee table was a coffee service set she used to adore.

jost.

Chapter 105 They’ve Been Waiting for Me

The vases and little trinkets on the counter were all the ones she always liked best.

Even the sofa was in her favorite shade of purple.

Every single detail in this place had been carefully designed to match her tastes perfectly.

Whitney could almost see her fellow students gathered here, pouring their hearts into crafting her very own princess residence.

Her heart felt more bittersweet, a stinging ache spreading inside.

And with it, a wave of guilt washed over her, endless and overwhelming.

This place was obviously a gift overflowing with love.

Yet she’d trapped herself in the cage, the Anderson residence, never once setting foot in this home.

Thinking about it now, she really was so stupid.

“You can really see that everything here was meticulously designed. Whoever did this truly poured their heart into it,” Ryan’s low, husky voice sounded right behind her.

Ryan stood behind her, his eyes taking in every corner of the room.

Even without seeing Whitney’s expression, he could sense how much this place meant to her.

He could also feel that every detail had been thoughtfully arranged, turning this villa into a place that truly felt like home.

‘Who is he, really?‘ Ryan thought to himself. ‘Is he the guy whose voice was used for the welcome message when the gate opened?

‘What’s his relationship with Whitney, anyway?”

Ryan’s eyes grew more shadowed, endless darkness swirling within.

But the moment Whitney glanced his way, all that shadow melted away.

“Yeah, they really put so much care into it,” Whitney said, her smile softer and warmer than usual.

As she remembered the people who decorated this room, her eyes softened with a gentle warmth.

Her smile deepened. “Even though I’ve never actually been here, someone always comes by to tidy up and replace whatever needs replacing.

“They… they’ve been waiting for me to come home all this time.”

As she spoke those last few words, he could clearly hear the tremor in her voice.

Her smile was warm and full of gratitude, but underneath it all, he could see the sadness and guilt flickering in her eyes.

Her fellow students were always worried she might need this someday, so even though she hadn’t set foot here in two years, they made sure every little thing was perfectly taken care of.

So she’d never have to worry about a thing.

This was what true family is.

This was the real meaning of family.

Ryan’s long, thick lashes cast a shadow over his eyes, the swirling darkness inside suddenly stiffening. “Who… is he?” he asked, his voice low.

“Not ‘he, but they,” she replied.

‘So it’s not just one guy? There’s more than one?‘ Ryan thought.

“They…” Whitney smiled gently, slowly walked over to the wall at the center of the spacious living room, where a red cloth was draped, covering something.

Her delicate fingers took hold of the edge of the cloth and gently pulled it down.

“They’re my most precious… my real family,” Whitney said softly.

The red cloth dropped to the floor.

On the wall was a massive photo, spanning nearly the whole wall.

Six people were captured in the picture.

Four tall men, each different in their own way, stood protectively around a girl and an elderly man in the center.

The girl’s eyes sparkled, her smile bright and lively as she tilted her head back, laughing up at the old man hugging her; her happiness was shining like sunlight.

Chapter 105 They’ve Been Waiting for Me

The old man had gray streaks at his temples, looked every bit his age, and his hair was pinned up with a wooden hairpin in an old–school style.

He wore a long, gray robe and gazed down at the girl in his arms, his smile gentle and kind, his whole face soft with affection.

The four men surrounding them kept their eyes fixed on the girl, their looks full of warmth, like they’d give her the whole world if they could.

The background of the photo was a forest nestled among green mountains and clear streams.

The scene was so breathtaking that it felt almost otherworldly, like beauty untouched by the ordinary world.

And the whole image overflowed with warmth and affection.

All that stormy darkness in Ryan’s eyes faded away in an instant, leaving nothing but calm..

‘Family… Ryan thought, a wave of relief washing over him. ‘So this is her family after all.’

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