Chapter 952


    Agnes couldn''t quite put her finger on it, but whenever she spoke with Ryder, the conversation seemed to drift towards Jared


    somehow.


    It wasn''t intentional, really. Yet every time she looked at Ryder''s face, Jared''s image would involuntarily seep into her thoughts.


    Mentioning Jared always elicited the subtlest shift in Ryder''s expression.


    “Agnes, you know, | wish that when you''re with me, I''m the one on your mind, not my uncle," Ryder''s voice held a tinge of


    dejection.


    Hearing this made Agnes feel a pang of guilt. She said, "Ryder, we can never be together. Even if I''m not with Jared anymore, |


    can only see you as a friend, or maybe like a younger rtive. | just don''t have those feelings for you..."


    "Stop," Ryder cut her off, a heavy silence falling between them.


    At that moment, Agnes realized they had unwittingly walked up to the grand entrance of the Pritchard Mansion.


    Time and again, Agnes tried to rify the nature of their rtionship, often repeating herself more than necessary. Sometimes,


    she even did it on purpose, knowing full well Ryder hated these conversations. But she feltpelled to speak the hard truths.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She knew that for many reasons, she couldn''t just cut ties with Ryder. Yet she couldn''t afford to give him hope either.


    Ryder''s ambiguous advances and probing always left her heart aching. He refused to let go, to give up. All Agnes could do was


    to keep him at arm''s length, as gently as she could.


    "Ryder..." Agnes was at a loss for words.


    “Agnes, you''ve never even tried. Why say we won''t work? You''ve never attempted to let me in. All the effort I''ve put in isn''t to


    make you fall for me. | just want you not to reject me. Don''t step back every time |e close. Just stay put, will you? I''m not


    asking for much, just don''t push me away," Ryder pleaded.


    Agnes felt an ache in her heart at his words. But suddenly, Ryder stepped forward, wrapping his arm around her in an embrace.


    Instinctively, Agnes tried to shove him away but ended up touching his injured arm.


    Ryder let out an involuntary grunt of pain.


    Agnes gasped in horror, "Are you okay? I''m so sorry, | didn''t mean to..."


    "Stay still, Agnes. Just let me hold you for a minute, just one minute."


    Agnes was stiffened. She stood rigid in his tentative hold until Ryder finally released her.


    As her body rxed from its tension, Ryder stepped back. "Alright, go inside. | should get going."


    It was then that Agnes came back to her senses. "Yeah, take care."


    Mason had already pulled up in aay


    car. Ryder got in, Gyeysrs


    from theca oorway. Please


    read the original content atChapter


    Only when Ryder''s car vanished into the night did she turn to enter the house.


    But something felt off.


    Mason''s car had long gone, yet


    Agnes could still sense Ie gowsen


    headlight nearby uit bat


    Uppai kable. Why would there be a


    stationary car parked close by, with


    its lights still on? Please read the


    original content at .


    Agnes squinted into the darkness,


    discerning the silhouette of


    inside the v, ehigle NEiGht was too


    faint, Abdcatce too great for her to


    make out the face, but the silhouette


    was unmistakable. Please read the


    original content at .


    It was Jared!