The Unstoppable Rylan Daystar

CHAPTER 3

Rylan Daystar sighed as he gripped the door handle of Frederick’s office. He inhaled deeply before opening the door and stepping into the office. A wave of cold air brushed his cheek as he stood by the door. Frederick was closing a file that had engulfed his attention. As he placed the file by the side of his desk, he lifted his eyes and folded his hands on his desk. He smiled as he saw Rylan standing before him. Rylan looked like a mess. He looked terrible but that didn’t matter to Fredrick. This was the last time he was going to set his eyes on him.

“Rylan. Good morning, please have a seat,” he offered gently.

Rylan was puzzled by his words. He was acting so nice which was weird to him. He sounded way different than when he was on the phone. He took a seat before Frederick looking at the desk. Underneath Frederick’s hands was a blue file. He wondered what it was. He looked up at Frederick and flashed him a smile.

“It’s so good to see, Rylan,” Frederick said.

“I don’t know if I feel the same way,” Rylan confessed.

Frederick chuckled as he heard that.

“Good one,” he said.

“Why did you call me in?” Rylan asked, getting impatient.

He had moved in with Tristan ever since he had been kicked out of the house and was sleeping on a futon. He wondered what could be worse than that.

Frederick pulled his hands away from the file and opened it. Rylan got the file from him and scanned through it. The header of the file made his heart sink. He thought he was reading it wrongly, but the words were printed boldly for him to understand. He looked up at Frederick who was grinning from ear to ear. Rylan’s eyes fell back to the file, reading it once more.

“What?!” He exclaimed.

“I’m sure you understand the words printed there,” Frederick said.

“Eve wants a divorce?” He asked.

His eyes read through the documents and it was clear. He was confused. Why would Eve agree to this? He couldn’t believe this. He should have seen this coming. Tristan’s words rang in his ear. He was right.

“Yes,” Frederick replied.

Rylan looked up at him, his face livid with rage. He closed back the file and threw it on the desk. It was trash to him. He wasn’t going to go through with it.

“I’m not going to sign it,” he said, holding his hands across his chest. “This isn’t Eve’s decision.”

Frederick chuckled at his attitude.

“I assure you it’s hers,” he said. “She wants this.”

Rylan scoffed at his words.

“There’s no way that Eve would go through with something like this,” he said. “I know her better than you do.”

Frederick was bewildered.

“You think so?” He asked.

Rylan leaned forward with his hands folded across his chest, looking Frederick in his eyes.

“I know so,” he replied coldly.

Frederick stroked his chin slowly. This was all too amusing to him. Breaking the trust he had in Eve was going to be the best thing ever. He couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he finally crushed that last bit of hope he had. Someone like Rylan didn’t deserve to have any left. He deserved whatever he was going to get.

“Then I suggest you look at the document properly,” he said, pushing the file towards him.

Rylan raised an eyebrow at his words. He reached for the file and opened it looking through it once more. His eyes came to the foot of the document and he found Eve’s signature on the dotted line. His heart sank and his hands trembled as he held the file.

Impossible!

Eve had signed the document. It was all surreal to Rylan. He closed the file and threw it back on the desk.

“So you see Rylan?” Frederick said, leaning forward. “Nobody wants you. I’m glad Eve has finally seen the shithole that you are. Just sign the document and get this over with.”

Rylan’s amber eyes were shaking as he raked his head for a solution. What should he do? He couldn’t go out like this. There was a possibility that Frederick and Karen had forced her to sign it. He wasn’t going to leave that easily. Rylan was going to stand his ground.

“I’m not signing it,” he said.

Frederick’s smile faded instantly and in a flash, his face became crowded with rage. He rose from his chair and stomped his hands on his desk.

“What?!” He demanded.

Rylan scoffed and leaned back on his chair with his hands still folded across his chest.

“I’m not signing that document until I speak with Eve,” he said. “I want her to confirm this decision.”

Frederick chuckled and sat back on his desk. He reached for the telephone on the right side of his desk and dialed a number.

“Fine,” he said, placing the receiver on his ear.

Rylan was confused by the tone he used.

“Send her in, Martha,” Frederick ordered and placed the receiver down.

He folded his hands on his desk and smiled. The door swung open a few moments later and a figure stepped in. Rylan swung his head backward and saw Eve standing by the door. She had a stern look on her face and a blue file in her hand. Rylan was relieved to see her. He rose from his chair and went to her.

“Eve, I’m glad you’re here,” he said. “Your dad is trying to make me sign some divorce papers.”

He attempted to hug her but she halted him with her hand. Rylan froze in confusion. He gazed at her in surprise.

“Eve?” He called.

“Sign the papers, Rylan,” she said, her voice cold as ice.

Rylan couldn’t believe his ears. Eve was serious from the stern look on her face.

“Huh?” He asked.

“I don’t want anything to do with you, Rylan,” she replied. “Sign the papers and end this madness.”

“Madness?” Rylan asked. “Baby. What are you talking about?”

Eve handed the blue file to him. She had gotten it from Karen. She knew the truth about Rylan. She couldn’t believe she had been lied to all this time. He irritated her. Rylan got the file from Eve and went through it. His amber eyes lit up in shock. He closed the file and looked back at her.

“This is a misunderstanding. I can explain,” he said.

“You don’t need to,” she said. “You’re a liar, and that’s all that matters now.”

Rylan felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces as he heard that. He never knew that the sacrifices he made would end up being used against him. There was nothing he could do now. It was over. He sighed and walked back to the desk.

Frederick opened the file happily and handed him a pen. Rylan got the pen slowly and pointed at it. He paused and looked up at Eve who was now standing by her father’s chair. Her blue eyes had no warmth left. They were cold and stony. He had lost his wife.

“Sign it,” Frederick pressured.

Rylan clenched his jaws and drew his signature on the dotted line. He dropped the pen on the desk and turned away.

“Goodbye, Rylan,” Frederick said before laughing.

***

Rylan looked at the blue file in his hands as he stood in the parking lot of the building. He had lost everything. There was only one thing left for him to do. He reached into his pocket and brought out his phone dialing a familiar number. The phone rang only once.

“Rylan?” A feminine voice called.

“Yes, mom. It’s me,” he said.

His eyes fell to the file in his hands once more.

“I’m coming home.”