Amelia was in the kitchen when she heard the sharp knock on her front door. She wiped her hands on a dish towel, surprised by the unexpected visitor. When she opened the door, her surprise turned to shock.
Ryan stood there, his face dark with fury, his shoulders tense. Without waiting for an invitation, he pushed past her into the house, clutching a manila folder in his hand.
“Ryan?” she asked, her voice tinged with confusion and worry. “What’s going on?”
He whirled around, his eyes blazing. “How much did they pay you, Amelia?” he demanded, his voice loud and biting.
Amelia took a step back, her stomach knotting at the venom in his tone. “What are you talking about?”
Ryan tossed the folder onto the coffee table, its contents spilling out. Among them were the photo of Hale leaving her house and the damning note. “Explain this,” he spat.
Her heart sank as she stared at the incriminating image. “Ryan, I can explain—”
“Can you?” he interrupted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve been working with the man who’s trying to destroy me.”
Amelia shook her head vehemently. “No! I let him in because I needed information. I was trying to gather intel for you.”
“For me?” Ryan sneered, stepping closer. “You think I’m stupid enough to believe that? Hale doesn’t hand out favors for free. What did he offer you, Amelia? Money? Power? Revenge?”
“Stop it!” she snapped, her voice trembling with anger. “I would never betray you like that.”
Ryan’s laugh was hollow, devoid of any warmth. “Never betray me? You let him into your house. You let him play you.” He gestured to the photo again. “What do you think that looks like to me? To anyone?”
Amelia’s hands balled into fists at her sides, her voice rising. “It looks like I was trying to protect my family. Something you should understand, but clearly don’t!”
“Protect them?” Ryan echoed, his tone mocking. “By working with the enemy? You didn’t even tell me. You kept it a secret, and now you expect me to trust you?”
Tears pricked at her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d react exactly like this! You’re so blinded by your own pride that you can’t see the truth.”
Ryan’s expression hardened, his voice dropping to a cold whisper. “The truth? The truth is, I can’t trust you anymore.”
The words hit her like a slap, and for a moment, the fight drained out of her. She stepped back, her arms wrapping around herself as if to shield against the emotional blow.
“Get out,” she said quietly, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and despair.
Ryan hesitated, his jaw tightening as if he wanted to say more. But instead, he turned and strode toward the door, slamming it shut behind him without another word.
Alone, Amelia sank onto the couch, her body trembling. The scattered papers on the coffee table seemed to mock her, a tangible reminder of how quickly everything had spiraled out of control.