The CEO's Rose

Chapter 154: Comfort

Vivian’s POV

As heartbroken as she had been when she had walked into Ryan’s penthouse and had found Gwendolyn Stuart the fourth. Vivian had to admit she had also been more than a little star struck by the beautiful woman. Who wouldn’t have been after being exposed to somebody so well and truly gorgeous? But now after Ryan had just told her everything that had happened between the two of them. All of the beauty had lost its shine. freēwebnovel.com

What a vile creature Gwendolyn Stuart the fourth truly was!

How could someone do something so horrible to another human being and still think that they could be considered human! Thinking of the woman in that moment, Vivian was glad that she was someplace where Vivian could not get to her. Had she been close by Vivian would have already been talking to her...with her hands, ( and maybe she would even have her feet deliver a few kicks).

Who cared if the outside packaging was pretty. The inside was rotten to the core and that ruined everything else. Thinking back on their encounter now that she knew more about the other woman Vivian realized something. Back then, even though she had been overwhelmed by the other woman’s beauty, and by her own heart breaking. Vivian had seen traces of the ugliness that lay beneath the pretty packaging. The malice in Gwendolyn Stuart the fourth’s eyes had been as clear as day. The smile that she’d given had been too sharp. Her teeth looking as though they were waiting for Vivian to expose her throat so that Gwendolyn could sink her teeth into the soft flesh.

A pretty predator, something that dripped poison and called it nectar.

That was what Gwendolyn Stuart the fourth was, and for a little while Vivian had been so taken by her beauty that she had actually looked down on herself. Thinking she could never measure up to the other woman.

Now that she knew the kind of woman the heiress was, she wanted to beat herself up over it. But looking at Ryan she realized that the man had been even more taken in by Gwendolyn than she had been. He had actually dated that despicable woman and had fallen in love with her only to have her betray him in such a foul way.

Reaching out, Vivian gently ran her hand over Ryan’s. Her touch lingering over the bruised skin of his knuckles, bringing the man back from whatever place he had gone to deep inside his own head.

***

"Did she ever apologize to you at least?" Vivian asked. Even if Gwendolyn Stuart the fourth might not have meant it. Knowing that she had reached out and said sorry to Ryan would at least make Vivian rate her just slightly above trash. But when Ryan shook his head, Vivian’s view of the woman went even lower. She’d not even had the decency to apologize, the woman was not only foul, she was clearly selfish to the core.

"I am sorry you had to go through that," Laughing humorously Ryan gave her a smile that was a little too crooked at the edges.

"You do not have to apologize to me for anything Vivian. You did not do anything to me, so you should not be the one saying sorry," At his words Vivian shook her head.

"I might not have done anything, but that doesn’t change the fact that you deserve an apology and you never got it. So please accept mine," Those blue eyes of his began to shine with unshed tears and Ryan began blinking way too quickly. Knowing that he was trying to force them back Vivian moved and drew him closer to her. free𝑤ebnovel.com

Her arms coming around him as she gave him another hug.

"Hey, it is alright, it’s just me you do not need to hide anything," Ryan took a shaky breath, then another, and another. By the fourth breath he was weeping in her arms and Vivian was holding him through it. She did not just stay silent and let him cry. Instead she used a technique that she often employed with her little students. Rocking him back and forth Vivian began to hum.

***

Ryan Terrell cried, and Vivian Rose hummed. While she did that she also ran a hand over Ryan’s back over and over. Not stopping her rocking motion even long after his tears had dried up.

When he finally had control of himself Ryan pulled away from her and blinked sluggishly. He looked down at himself like he was not quite sure if his body was a part of himself, then he looked back to her.

"How did you do that?" He asked, staring at her like she had just performed a magic trick.

"Do what?" Vivian questioned, not quite sure what he was referring to.

"Normally when I cry, I end up feeling drained, but that is not the case right now. I just feel...peaceful,"

Vivian shrugged, "It is something that I often do with the kids. The humming and the motion. Plus the contact satisfies that part of the human being that requires touch and comfort. I was letting you know that you are not alone. You instinctively recognized that and it helped to settle you,"

"Thank you for helping me out," Ryan breathed and Vivian smiled softly at him, her chest feeling all squishing.

"No, Ryan thank you for trusting me enough to share something so deep with me,"

Ryan reached out and Vivian met him halfway. This time when they embraced there were no tears shed, and unlike the first hug of the night Vivian was well aware that Ryan Terrell was as real as can be. It was quite frankly the most comforting human contact that Vivian had ever had outside of embraces that she shared with Amy. In some ways it was even better because she was being held by Ryan Terrell again after thinking that she would never have that opportunity.