The CEO's Rose

Chapter 152: Take Back

Ryan’s POV

In all honesty, when Ryan had knocked on Vivian’s door, he had not expected to be let in.

Too much had happened between the two of them after all. As a man who was used to doors opening at just the mere mention of his name. He had not liked the nerve wrecking feeling at all.

But not only had Vivian opened the door for him, the first thing that she had done upon laying eyes on him was to throw herself at him and hug him tight.

Ryan had been too stunned to return the gesture. Something that he was regretting. But at least even after realizing that he was actually real and not something that she had made up, Vivian had not chased him away. She had let him come in, and had even allowed him to guide her towards the couch when it had looked as though she were about to keel over.

Now, returning from the kitchen with a glass of water in hand. Ryan gave it to her and watched as she gulped it down, her fingers shaking the entire time.

The urge to reach over and steady it for her was incredibly strong.

But Ryan fought it off.

He got the feeling that if he pushed too hard, Vivian might just break apart, and that was the last thing that he ever wanted to happen.

"What are you doing here?" Vivian asked once she was done drinking the water, and Ryan took a moment to himself before answering her.

"I came here so that the two of us can talk things out. When things ended between us. It seems there was a whole lot that both of us were not aware of, and we took rash decisions as a result of that,"

Before he could say anything more, Vivian was shaking her head, and scooting a bit further away from him while still holding the now empty glass in her hands.

"There’s nothing to talk about anymore, Ryan. You and I had a no feelings type of arrangement, something casual. You have someone more serious now, and I won’t get in the way of that,"

This woman, what was she on about?

Holding all of his frustration back, Ryan spoke in the softest voice that he could.

"Are you talking about Gwendolyn Stuart the fourth?" Vivian nodded and Ryan sighed. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

"Are you aware that that day when you found Gwendolyn in the penthouse, that she’d broken in? She’d had no right to be in there and I’m sorry that you walked in on her," ƒгeewebnovёl.com

At the words Vivian nodded.

"Yes, I now know that but back then I really thought that you two were together, and it is why I turned you down when you wanted to take things to the next level. But my misunderstanding worked out well for the two of you. So the only thing I can do now is wish you happiness going forward," While he was still trying to process, Vivian gave him a mechanical smile that made Ryan’s heartache.

"What do you mean it worked out well for the two of us? Are you talking about Vivian and I?" Her eyes shiny with tears she was stubbornly refusing to let fall, Vivian nodded.

"I saw pictures of her going to visit you when your grandfather was in the hospital. So I take it that means that you two have patched things up. She is way better suited for you than I ever was,"

Unable to take it anymore, Ryan moved closer to Vivian. But when she stiffened he stopped.

Instead he held out a hand, his palm facing upwards. The limb hovering in the air for so long that he was terrified that she would just leave him like that.

But after a too long moment Vivian’s smaller hand slid into his and Ryan held it gently.

"I am going to tell you something, and I want you to listen and listen good. After you and I parted ways, I have been with no other women,"

"What about those twins?"

That question took him by surprise. But it also proved something to Ryan. Just as he had been struggling to get over her, Vivian had been having problems too.

For her to be aware of the women that had been in his company. That meant she had been keeping a close eye on him through the media.

"All that I did with those twins was offer them jobs and give them a ride home. Nothing happened,"

Tension that he had not known was there, flowed out of Vivian at his words and Ryan felt a wave of relief at having her believe him without demanding proof.

"No matter how much I tried to look at other women, or how hard I tried to force myself to like them, I could never do it because no matter how beautiful they were, how witty. None of them were you, and you are the only person I want in my life, Vivian,"

Lifting her hand, he kissed her knuckles and looked her in the eyes.

"So please, Vivian Rose, I am asking you again, will you be my girlfriend?"

***

With everything out in the open, Ryan was expecting for Vivian to immediately start saying yes.

She wanted to, he could tell that much. He had been able to tell from the moment that she had hugged him. But still, there was something holding Vivian back, so he was not as surprised as he’d been the first time when he saw her shake her head.

"Ryan, I can’t," Letting go of her hand, he looked at her.

"Why not?" He asked, his voice trembling, all of the pain he was feeling clear to hear.

"Why do you keep breaking my heart Vivian? I just want to be with you and only you, why do you refuse me?"

Wiping a tear away Vivian took a shaky breath, "I’m trying to spare you, can’t you see that?

I have seen Gwendolyn Stuart the fourth up close, Ryan. She has everything a woman who should be by your side needs. She is rich, beautiful, elegant... a true socialite. She is the kind of person that you should want, the person you deserve, not me," Her tears were falling freely now, but she was no longer bothering with them.

"I am just some preschool teacher who is riddled with imperfections. You should not settle for a woman like me," Anger bloomed in Ryan’s chest, and before he could throttle it, it was already making itself known.

"Take it back," He hissed, Vivian stared at him with wide eyes, her fear clear to see, but he did not care. Had she still been refusing him because she thought that he had feelings for Gwendolyn, or for other women. Ryan would have been able to take it better. But for her to refuse him because she thought she was helping him. Because she actually believed that someone like Gwendolyn was better than her, Ryan would never abide that.

"Take those words back right now, Vivian Rose,"