Chapter 594
A few feet away in the corridor, Brad leaned against the wall, his head bowed in thought.
After a quiet stretch in the bedroom, Rylie stepped out to answer her phone. Melany, trailing after her, nearly jumped at the shadow lurking nearby. When she realized it was Brad, relief replaced her anxiety, and she approached.
“Mr. Morgan, did something happen between you and Rylie? The air’s so tense — I could feel it the moment Rylie and I returned.”
Brad lifted his gaze, frustration etched on his usually unreadable face. He looked nothing like the aloof man Melany was used to. Words tumbled out, heavy with regret. “Maybe I said the wrong thing. I keep replaying it in my head.”
Bit by bit, Melany pieced together the real reason for the strained atmosphere. Braver than most, she didn’t hesitate to jump to Rylie’s defense. “Mr. Morgan, I get that you’re trying to protect her. But you can’t ask her to stay away from you when she’s hurting most. That’s not what she needs. Right now, she wants someone to hold on to — not someone who turns their back.”
Brad’s voice dropped to a murmur, rough with self-blame. “The truth is, every wound she carries has something to do with me. I just want her to stay out of danger.”
“Then talk to her,” Melany insisted, her words quick and earnest. “Don’t keep pushing her away — she needs you to actually be there.”
A trace of bitterness crept into Brad’s reply. “But there never was an ‘us.’ She never let me in, not really.”
Truth be told, he had been willing to let Rylie take him as a diversion, but she had never shown the slightest interest.
Melany stared at him, stunned. “But if you know she cares about you, how can you just let her walk away?”
A flash of surprise lit Brad’s eyes as he looked up, pinning Melany with a searching stare. “You think Rylie has feelings for me too?”
Recently, people kept hinting at it. Not long ago, even Felix had mentioned it once, but Brad never let himself believe.
Melany fidgeted under his gaze, but her voice stayed steady. “What else could it be? She has no obligation to you, but she always goes out of her way for those students — and for you. Part of the reason was that she cares for those students, but other than that, she was also worried that once they were hurt, the blame and punishment would fall on you. Rylie’s always putting herself in your path because she cares about you, Brad. She deserves to know she matters. Instead of shutting her out, you should be letting her in.”
In Melany’s mind, Brad’s confusion was entirely self-made.
“I got it wrong.” The admission slipped out quietly as Brad’s shoulders slumped, humbled by Melany’s candor. “I’ve never really dated anyone before, so I’m not great at this. Showing how I feel — it’s not something I know how to do.”
Melany was once again surprised by the emotions displayed by this young, accomplished, and usually aloof man. She snapped back, her tone serious. “You should say this directly to Rylie. I may be young and don’t know as much as you do, but I think you need to show that you care to fix things. You need to make it up to her.”
Dottie was already calling everyone to the dining area for dinner. After ending her call, Rylie walked in from the hall. She caught sight of the pair talking in the distance and announced, “Dinner’s ready.”
.
.
.