Ronan Potter was torn to shreds, as if two invisible hands were ying tug-of-war with his heart, threatening to rip it apart. He wanted to protect Sadie Roth but could not jeopardize thepany-his family''s legacy persevering through three Despite recognizing the trap Micah Clemens hadid out, resistance seemed futile.
generations.
"Ronan..." Sadie finally spoke, breaking the stifling silence, "don''t torture yourself. Follow your heart."
"Sadie, I can''t let you down again not like four years ago," Ronan''s voice was heavy with sorrow, "but I can''t neglect thepany either."
"I understand," Sadie managed a stiff smile. "Times have changed; now thepany is your responsibility!"
"What about you?" the question came from a ce of deep pain.
"He won''t harm me," she reassured him with feigned ease. "You don''t have to worry about me."
"He won''t harm you?" Ronan''s gaze darkened at the sight of her bathrobe, his expression growingplex. "You used to be so proud, so aloof, and now..."
He trailed off, his hands clenched into fists, his eyes reflecting an unyielding defiance against fate''s cruel y.
Sadie knew he had misunderstood, yet she chose not to rify, offering a bitter smile instead, "Yeah, what made me be what I am now?"
Her rhetorical question once again brought a heavy stillness to the room.
If the Potter family hadn''t been fair-weather friends, retracting their marriage proposal upon hearing of the Roth family''s bankruptcy; if she hadn''t fallen into Leah White''s trap, causing all that scandal-she wouldn''t have ended up like this. Yes, Ronan Potter bore a significant share of the me for the person she had be.
"I''m sorry..." Ronan hung his head in guilt.
"Well? Have you decided?"
Micah Clemens''s voice filled the room,ced with the arrogantmand of one who had fate in his clutches.
"Mr. Clemens, I think we need to talk. In private," Ronan Potter was still trying to y both sides, desperate to keep all his pieces in y.
"I don''t have time for your talk," Micah Clemens replied, lounging on the sofa with a cocky leg propped up. "You''ve got ten seconds. Take her with you, or this..." He motioned with his toe towards a ruby ne resting on the crystal coffee table. "Choose!"
"I..." Ronan started, but his phone erupted into a sudden re, and he moved aside to answer. "Yeah, what???"
"Daddy, just chill, I''m working on it. I know, I know, I will call you back soon."
He ended the call with a rapid tap and turned back to implore Micah Clemens. "Mr. Clemens, does it really have to be so drastic? Halting the project entirely is a huge loss for us." "So?" Micah raised an eyebrow, his smirk chilly.
"I..." Ronan was at a loss for words. Micah Clemens yed god with fate-if he decreed someone''s demise, it was final. There was no room for negotiation.
"Final three seconds," dered Micah, lifting his fingers to count down. "Three!"
"Mr. Clemens..."
"Two!"
"Mr. Clemens, please... I''m begging you..."
"One more peep and you''ll lose even the chance to choose," Micah frowned, the picture of annoyance.
"I..." Ronan nced between the tempting sparkle of the ruby ne and the conflicted eyes of Sadie Roth, his inner turmoil evident.
His phone''s ringtone sliced through the tension again... Ronan''s forehead glistened with sweat, and his eyes reddened with desperation.
Sadie Roth couldn''t bear to watch any longer and moved to grab the ne for him, but at that very moment, Ronan reached out and snatched it up himself.
The pendant grazed over Sadie''s hand, prompting her to look up instinctively. Their eyes met aplex mesh of unspoken emotions.
She understood why he made his choice, even supported it, but his hurried decision still struck her like a dagger to the heart-sudden, paralyzing pain.
"Sadie, I..." Ronan was in full panic, realizing that Sadie was about to make that selfless choice for him, but he had beaten her to it. And because of that, everything had changed.