A WEEK LATER Ryan sat behind the counter at Danny's Bar, his new workplace. He had quickly become a favorite in the bar as a result of his brushed-up bartending skills. His reformed look earned him a special spot as the eye-candy for the groups of female friends who usually came around the bar to hang out. His coworkers, the other servers who worked away from his designated spot, quickly fell in love with his wit and free personality and began to enjoy his company and show him the ropes around his new job. It was safe to say that his first week at Danny's Bar was great enough especially since he had been used to the hatred and disgusted looks he had gotten most of his life. Ryan's life was starting to look up a little. It was not the best fresh start but he was just thankful to be free. Everything was going well at the bar until Ryan saw HIM. The same man who he had seen appear with Vanessa on different television talk shows and interviews, the supposed father of her unbor
“What do you want, Dahlia?!” Daniel lowered his voice. Ryan stopped to listen. He had come down to ask Daniel for something but it seemed like he was attending to something very private. “I want nothing else to do with you brother, believe me. I just need the money you owe me!” A female voice came on. “I don't have it! I already told you countless times that I don't have it! Why do you even need it so much? Seems like you were perfectly fine faking your wealthy status!” Daniel responded. “It's my bloody inheritance Daniel! Just because it was kept in your care and you ended up making very poor life choices does not give you the right to ask questions about MY inheritance!” She spilled. Daniel remained mute. “When can I have my money, Daniel?” She asked. “Soon. I'm working on something really huge at the moment so just…please bare with me Dahlia” Daniel said. “Good”. “And tear down this shack so you can focus on something that'll actually give you the kind of money you n
Daniel had been asked to cater alongside the more professional and popular planners who had been contracted to cater for the wedding between Vanessa and Nathan, since Nathan enjoyed his company. So by association, Ryan was also going to be at the wedding. As much as he despised the idea, he couldn't afford to lose his job and arouse any inch of suspicion. … Working at his ex's wedding was not something Ryan could have imagined after all her and her family had done to him. He still had a lowly reputation to maintain, after all. “The wedding is in a week, people! We need to make sure we make a great presentation” Daniel addressed. “Aren't there going to be much more professional and well recognized bartenders at the wedding scene?” One of the workers mentioned. “Well…we may be the smallest out of all of them but we hold a special spot in the groom's heart, so we have to give it our all” Daniel answered, reassuring them. “Plus, we have Ryan! Our best bartender since I got in
“Good morning” Serena greeted, her eyes hovering above his face. Ryan opened his eyes and sat up on the bed, watching Serena draw the curtains in his room open. “What are you doing in my room?” Ryan asked her. "Again, a simple thank you would suffice" Serena chuckled. She sat on the chair in the room. “ Well if you must know, I happen to be your designated saviour because I keep finding you everywhere but at a safe spot" she joked “Shit” Ryan cussed, the events from the wedding party coming back to his memory. “Work issues?" Serena probed. "What?". "Whatever got you so drunk and passed out at a bar that the owner had to go through your contacts and call me" She explained. “I wasn't…I wasn't drunk” Ryan pushed. “You don't need to lie, Ryan. I brought you back here, I saw the state you were in" Serena countered, her voice lacking empathy. “I'd rather not talk about it, Serena” Ryan responded. “You know that old saying that goes 'a problem shared is a…”. “I
Ryan remained fixed to the spot he had been standing on. He had fought to get away from the enemy, while being unable to see that his greatest enemy was right in front of him. He sat down on the sofa slowly, bending his head and covering his face. He was completely overwhelmed. The woman who had been in the room with Tony, appeared, using her hair to cover her face in shame. Tony had probably threatened her to get into bed with him. Ryan felt complete pity for her. “You may leave. I'm sorry for whatever this creep did to you” Ryan sympathized.The woman muttered a ‘thank you’ and slipped out of the apartment with tears in her eyes. Tony stood at a corner of the room, watching everything unfold. Ryan fixed his gaze at him with complete fury in his eyes. “Don't think about getting in a physical fight because I'd hurt you badly. I have several years of training. Just a friendly warning” Tony mentioned. “You're a monster” Ryan commented. “You're not the first person to say that, R
“You are a really great actress, Serena. Name your price” Ryan told her. “Excuse me?” Serena responded, amused. “Tony sent you here to probably ‘win me over’, didn't he? Now name your price so I can give it to you and you drop the act. I don't need any false pity Serena” Ryan spat. “You are totally misunderstood, Mr. Roberts. I despise Tony as much as you do right now and I just want to help…”.“I never asked for your help, neither did I tell you I wasn't capable of handling my own problems” Ryan cut in, coldly. His clenched jaw and distant gaze made Serena’s heart sink. But she was determined, even if she didn't have much time. “Why don't we have a meeting again, Ryan Roberts? Same time tomorrow, and I'll bring with me every possible proof that I'm not in any kind of alliance with Tony. Will that be enough for you?” Serena suggested. Ryan remained mute. He was not interested in meeting with her again, even if a small part of him wanted as much information as he could get from
Ryan watched as Serena bundled her three kids into the backseat of his car along with a few of their belongings. He admired her grace-like nature and how well the kids believed in her and barely asked questions. They were probably used to this: packing up and moving suddenly as Tony was not exactly the biggest fan of his ex-wife. He felt pity for them, and in that instant wondered what life would be like for his own child if he didn't end up the victor in this whole sharade. “We're all set, Ryan” Serena spoke sharply, her eyes indicating that the sooner they were to move away from that location, the better for them. Ryan placed his hands on the steering wheel and drove off into the dimly lit street. They soon found themselves on the freeway and Ryan heard Serena breath with relief. He could not imagine how many phases of tension she had been through the past few minutes. “Where are you taking them?” He asked, glancing at her occasionally. “My sister who lives out of town. She
Ryan woke up with a throbbing headache the next day. He had barely shut his eyes until sunrise and his conversation with Tony still felt like a dream. A bad dream he kept reliving in his mind. “Hey!” Bethany shrieked as she bumped into Ryan. “Good Morning” Ryan mumbled, rubbing his forehead with his hand. He felt slightly dizzy and the fact that he was going to be downstairs before getting any aid was not going to help. “A head ache? I've got something for that, follow me” Bethany smiled. How did she know? Probably mother's instinct, Ryan guessed. Or the fact that he had been massaging his forehead consistently for the past minute. He followed after her to get room where she offered him some pain relief tablets and watched him swallow them. “Mom? Mom?” Ryan waved his hand in front of her face, snapping her out of her thoughts. “I'm sorry, Ryan. I just…I thought about how unfair it is that I only get to see you for a few more years and as a full adult. I was never around to