Chapter 394: Chapter 394: You Are Different
"Her father doesn’t treat her well, either, Ashley. Right now, she only has me. Please try to understand. Don’t be sad."
Ryan Linton’s aloof face was obscured by the darkness of the night, his features indistinct. His usually stoic expression was now etched with sorrow.
He knew all too well what he and Annabelle Linton had gone through in their childhood. Kiera Keane had lived the same kind of life, and she still was.
What’s more, she had lost her legs... because of him.
That was why he couldn’t do something so heartless.
He couldn’t abandon her; his conscience wouldn’t allow it. That was the very reason he’d always resisted Ashley Grant’s advances, only giving in recently.
He had agreed on impulse, but now... what was he supposed to do?
’One is the person who saved my life, and the other is the girl I like. If only they were different genders...’
Ryan Linton gently wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. He seemed to let out another sigh before saying tenderly, "Don’t cry anymore."
Ashley Grant instinctively looked up at the young man before her.
The moonlight accentuated his perfect profile, making him appear even more cool and ascetic. His face was in no way inferior to her brother’s or Aaron’s—it was absolutely flawless, the pinnacle of perfection. Even the slightest arch of his eyebrow held a unique charm.
’It made sense, though. With a sister-in-law that beautiful, how could her little brother be unattractive?’
’This heartthrob, who looks like he walked straight out of an anime and makes every student his age in the whole school—and even all of Lynton—swoon, is *my* boyfriend. What more could I possibly be unhappy about?’
’The truth was, I was just too invested... I’ve never dared to tell him who I really am. Add to that the huge obstacle that is Kiera Keane, and I’m trapped in a cycle of insecurity, constantly afraid of losing him...’
At that moment, she couldn’t help but wonder.
’If he ever finds out who I am, will he be angry?’
’Will he break up with me over it?’
She had wanted to tell him several times, but then she would look at his handsome, cool face and remember how differently he treated her compared to everyone else, and the words would die in her throat.
’Forget it.’
’I’ll wait until our relationship is a little stronger. Maybe by then, he’ll like me enough that he won’t want to break up, right?’
She clung to that hope.
Ashley Grant wiped away her tears and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. "I understand, Ryan," she whispered.
Ryan Linton’s face darkened. He cupped her face, his grip a dangerous warning. "What did you just say?" he threatened. "Say it again."
Ashley Grant didn’t have the nerve to say it again. She gave a hollow laugh, cautiously studying his expression. "Well... what should I call you, then? I can’t just call you nothing, right?"
Ryan Linton just stared at her, his face a blank mask.
Ashley Grant got the message. He wanted her to figure it out herself.
’You really learn a lot, dating him. He’s so similar to his sister in many ways. And he really, truly cares about her.’
A shadow of disappointment crossed Ashley Grant’s eyes, but she quickly masked it with a cheerful grin. "Heartthrob?" she guessed.
Ryan Linton arched an eyebrow. "I think you meant to add ’-ache’ to that."
Ashley Grant couldn’t help but laugh. She buried her face in his chest, inhaling his clean, crisp scent as she continued guessing. "Senior? Mr. Linton? The Crown Prince?"
"You’re different from everyone else."
Ashley Grant lowered her gaze and smiled. ’So my boyfriend knows how to say sweet things after all,’ she thought.
"Then you tell me. What should I call you?"
Ryan Linton gently smoothed her short hair back from her face. His gaze was intense, as if he could pull her into its depths. The young man’s thin lips parted as he whispered, "Call me ’husband.’"
Ashley Grant’s heart skipped a beat. It all felt so surreal.
But before she could even react, Ryan Linton’s cool lips were on hers in a deep kiss.
She passionately kissed him back.
