Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 331: This was dangerous…

With Alice resting her head on his shoulder and Bella’s hand in his, Ryan couldn’t calm down the entire ride. All he could do was pray that Alice was tired enough to stay asleep for the whole trip.

Thankfully, that’s exactly what happened. Alice was exhausted and completely unaware of what was going on.

By the time the car pulled up at home, Alice finally woke up from her nap, just as Bella had already let go of Ryan’s hand, leaving Alice to lean into empty space.

“Miss Alice, we’re here.”

Ryan wiped his slightly sweaty palm on his clothes, feeling a bit guilty as he gently reminded Alice, who still looked a little dazed.

He hadn’t expected Bella to be so bold. Not only had she held his hand the entire ride, but just before Alice woke up, she had even started playing with his palm, making him feel all kinds of weird. The sensation had sent shivers down his spine.

After waking up, Alice sensed something strange in the car’s atmosphere. She glanced around, noticing that Ryan’s expression seemed a bit off.

She looked over at Bella, who was casually playing with her phone, and decided not to think too much of it.

Sitting in the middle of the backseat, Alice figured she would’ve noticed if anything had happened between the two. She chalked up the odd vibe to her own imagination.

“Mm.”

Alice nodded lightly in response to Ryan, and as she watched him return to her side, the tension in her chest finally eased.

She had lost control today. After everything that had happened, she thought she’d be able to keep her emotions in check. But when it came to Ryan, things were different. Just thinking about him being with Mia, doing who knows what, made her feel completely out of control.

That’s why she had ended up threatening Mia so harshly.

Now that the threat had been made, Alice didn’t feel too bad about it. After all, Ryan was her assistant. There was no room for Mia in this picture.

Pushing aside the memory of Mia’s frustrated expression, Alice yawned and casually handed her blazer to Ryan, who took it without hesitation. They were so in sync, it was like second nature.

It was just a simple act of handing over a jacket, nothing more. But to some people, even small gestures like this could be blown way out of proportion.

Alice walked ahead, with Ryan by her side, leaving Bella trailing behind them.

Ryan suddenly felt a chill down his neck. He instinctively turned around, only to meet Bella’s dark, brooding gaze. She had her head lowered, muttering something under her breath, but Ryan couldn’t make out what she was saying.

He had a bad feeling. Bella’s outburst was coming soon—he could feel it.

Quickening his pace, Ryan couldn’t help but feel the pressure whenever Bella was around. It was the shadow of something that had happened four years ago, and even now, it hadn’t fully lifted.

“Ryan, when you were with Mia today, did you do anything besides investigating?”

The three of them had already entered the living room when Alice casually asked the question, as if it were just part of a normal conversation. Ryan turned to hang Alice’s blazer on the coat rack, but her words made his heart skip a beat.

Wait, wasn’t Alice not suspicious? Why was she suddenly asking about this?

He had already lied once before, so there was no way he could change his story now. That would only make things worse. After a brief pause, Ryan forced a smile and replied.

“Not much, really. We just grabbed a bite to eat. Mia kept saying she was hungry all day.”

That should fit with Mia’s usual behavior, at least from Ryan’s perspective. But whether Alice would buy it was another story.

“Oh, so you took her out for snacks…”

“I remember she likes grilled sausages, right? I’m kind of into those too.”

Ryan had never mentioned Mia’s love for grilled sausages. He had learned that little detail when they grabbed hot dogs outside a construction site once. But somehow, Alice already knew.

Alice might have sounded casual, but Ryan knew better. She had her ways of finding things out—whether it was tracking his phone or something else he hadn’t figured out yet.

This was dangerous…

Though Ryan was thinking all of this, he still smiled and responded warmly.

“Well, if we get the chance, I’ll take you to the street market. They’ve got tons of snacks like that.”

“It’s not far, just near our school.”

Alice was pleased with Ryan’s invitation, but when she heard the location, she shook her head. That was the place Ryan had already gone with Anna. She wasn’t about to go somewhere that made her feel like she was sharing Ryan with someone else.

“In a few days, I’ll arrange for the chef to come over and make it at home.”

On one hand, she didn’t want to visit a place that Anna had already been to—it gave her the unsettling feeling of splitting Ryan’s attention. On the other hand, things were tense right now. If she and Ryan went out, they’d probably both have to wear masks to avoid being recognized.

Ryan could already imagine what kind of “street food” Alice would arrange. She’d probably hire a Michelin three-star chef to fry up some chicken wings.

Talking about food reminded Alice that she was actually hungry. Before they arrived, she had already called ahead to have dinner prepared. By the time the three of them got home, the meal was just being set on the table.

After a long day of hunger and exhaustion, the first thing Alice did when she got home was head upstairs to change out of her stiff suit. Ryan, on the other hand, wasn’t as particular. He pulled out his phone, scrolling through the online comments about him, and plopped down on the couch.

He had planned to talk to Bella later that evening, but after what had just happened, he needed a bit of time to collect himself.

Bella had been on the phone with Mr. Langston, reporting everything that had happened today. When she finished the call and turned around, she noticed Alice was no longer there. Only Ryan remained, sitting alone in the living room.

She wanted to walk over and talk to him. It was just a few steps, and she could finally be close to the person she had been longing for.

Her time studying in France hadn’t been easy. At first, her French wasn’t fluent, and even basic communication was a struggle. The Langston family had provided her with material support, but the emotional loneliness was something she couldn’t shake on her own.

The only thing she could do was lie awake at night, forcing herself to think about Ryan.

She thought about how he had appeared like a hero, saving her. She thought about the days and nights they had spent together, getting along so well. She remembered the times she was punished and left hungry, and how he had snuck an apple into her room, cracking the door open just enough to pass it through. And then, she remembered his betrayal—how he had pushed her away.

If she had never experienced it, she wouldn’t have dared to hope. But back then, they had been so close to something real, only for it to end in estrangement. How could she possibly let that go?

She had sworn to herself that one day she would return, and when she did, she wouldn’t give Ryan any chance to push her away again. If he tried, she’d break his hand if she had to. No matter what, she would always love him.

Her gaze lingered on Ryan, shifting from calm to intense in an instant. That intensity morphed into something more complicated—desire, resentment, caution, and indulgence, all swirling together in her eyes before finally settling into a quiet resolve.

She wasn’t in a rush. Her plan was about to unfold, and by then, Ryan—who was already starting to sense something was off—would have no chance to escape.

The living room was full of Alice’s eyes and ears, so after staring at Ryan’s back for a while, Bella slipped into the kitchen.

She watched as the kitchen staff continued to bring out dish after dish. Her eyes flickered with thought, and then she approached the chef, her movements graceful and poised, perfectly embodying the demeanor of a well-bred young lady.

“There should be more ingredients, right? Could you add a few more dishes? I’m terribly sorry, but I’m a bit picky when it comes to food.”