Chapter 201


    When ra saw Anders again, it was on the night they celebrated Alicia bing her godmother.


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    He looked like he had lost a ton of weight. His eyes were sunken, and hisplexion pale as chalk.


    He stood in the hallway, forlornly puffing on a cigarette alone.


    ra approached, offering him a bottle of water and said softly, "Anders, have you found Orin''s


    mom yet?"


    Anders'' red-rimmed eyes met hers. "ra, I''m sorry. I''ve let you down."


    ra shook her head with a smile, "Don''t beat yourself up. We never really got started. Cutting our


    losses now is the best thing for both of us. I don''t want you to turn into one of those deadbeat jerks I


    loathe."


    Anders closed his eyes in pain, his voice husky and weak. "Orin''s had leukemia since he was little.


    None of our rtives were a match for a bone marrow transnt, and the doctors suggested we


    have another child."


    Tears began to well up in his eyes as he spoke. His gaze was deep and watery as he looked at


    ra. "I never thought of marrying another woman for life. Even with Orin in the picture, I never


    gave up on you. I nned to find Elle, clear things up, and raise the kid together while chasing our


    own true love. But when I heard about Orin''s condition, I just broke down. He might have been an


    ident, but I''m still his biological father—I can''t just stand by and do nothing.”


    “Having another child seemed the only way to save him, but that meant I had to let you go, ra. It


    took me so long to finally have you running towards me, and now this curveball. Do you have any


    idea how reluctant my heart is?"


    Anders'' voice choked up, and tears streamed down his face. Torn between the girl he''d liked for


    years and the blood-rted son he couldn''t bear to abandon, he felt a heartache so intense it made


    him forget to breathe.


    ra''s eyes grew warm too, but she kept a calm smile on her face. "Anders, from now on, consider


    me your sister. I hope you get over this rtionship soon and give Orin and his mom the happy


    home they deserve. She must really love you to have the child on her own, and with Orin being sick


    all this time, these years must have been so tough for her. You''ve got to treat her right."


    With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Anders alone with his solitary silhouette.


    Exiting the hotel, ra bumped into Ryker. He handed her a pink-frosted cupcake, "Taste


    something sweet, and life won''t seem so bitter."


    ra looked surprised, "You know about this?"


    Ryker smirked, "Don''t all you girls love these things when you''re feeling down?"


    She patted his head,ughing, "You are all grown up, understanding girls'' hearts now. I''ll find you a


    girlfriend soon."


    "No way." Ryker rejected outright.


    "You''re 22. A rtionship could help you settle down. Why not?"


    Ryker''s gaze, sharp as an eagle''s, didn''t waver from her. "I only want to date you. I don''t care for


    any other girl."


    ra nced at him, "I''ve told you before, we''re not a match. Keep those thoughts in check, or I''ll


    have your granddad ship you off."


    Ryker scoffed, "Why can you consider Ian and Anders, but not me? Where do I fall short? Looks,


    physique, or family background—why won''t you even consider me."


    "They''re not better than you. I just don''t think it''s right."


    "That''s nonsense! You''re still hung up on that jerk Ian. What''s so great about him that you can''t


    forget? Whatever he can offer you, I can provide just the same. Just say the word, and I can take


    over the family business, be the current head of the Miller family, and then make you my wife."