Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 299: Something was missing

“Now that Miss Nella has said that, I feel relieved. Hurry up and get in the car, we should get going.”

Alice probably said that to Bella, though Ryan couldn’t quite remember the exact details. Just looking at Bella made his head spin.

In Ryan’s mind, the Bella from four years ago and the Nella of today kept switching back and forth, until finally settling on the present version. No matter how much Ryan tried to deny it, things had changed. There was no going back.

Both women were incredibly sharp, and their relationship was always this strange mix of closeness and distance, leaving Ryan unsure of where he stood.

They both had unusual pasts, and Ryan, standing on the sidelines, just couldn’t find a way to fit in.

Business really was complicated. When Ryan was a kid, gnawing on stale bread in the orphanage, he used to dream about being rich one day. But after seeing so much, he figured being an ordinary person wasn’t so bad after all.

All the scheming and backstabbing—it was just too exhausting.

Once Alice and Bella got in the car, they didn’t bicker. They were actually working, and from the deep frowns on their faces, it was clear whatever they were dealing with was a real headache.

The day’s tasks were supposed to be handled by all three of them, but since Alice and Bella were tied up, the responsibility naturally fell to Ryan.

According to the schedule, the three of them were supposed to visit St. Mary’s Hospital that morning. Frank, the crane operator, had a daughter receiving treatment there.

Ryan’s interest in the girl was simple: Frank’s death was suspicious.

A regular family’s child getting leukemia is devastating, especially for a family with limited income.

Without access to expensive, specialized medication, they could only rely on conservative treatment. It’s a brutal, almost irreversible path.

That’s why leukemia is practically a death sentence for families like Frank’s.

Parents can only watch as their child’s condition worsens, their meager wages nowhere near enough to cover the crushing costs. They’ll do anything, anything at all, just to keep their child alive.

Ryan had never been seriously ill, nor was he a parent, but he could empathize with the desperation of ordinary people.

For someone who’s fought for years in the face of hopelessness, even if they eventually give up, no one would blame them.

But the thief they’d caught earlier had said that Frank would never have given up on his daughter. His death couldn’t have been an accident. A father like that wouldn’t dare to die.

Recently, someone had been targeting Alice, and they were willing to spend big. Even a small-time thief had been paid over a hundred thousand for a simple job, so it wasn’t surprising he’d taken the risk.

So, if someone had approached Frank with a similar offer, what would he have done?

The car followed its planned route, with Alice and Bella still engrossed in their work, leaving Ryan alone to sift through various documents.

Bored? Not at all.

Ryan wasn’t fooled by the seemingly peaceful atmosphere. After all, that side mission was still hanging over him. He hadn’t forgotten that Bella had once considered killing both Alice and him.

How she’d do it, when she’d do it—Ryan had no idea. All he could do now was keep his eyes on the two of them, trying to gather as much information as possible.

“Miss Nella, I’ve heard you’ve been doing really well abroad. What made you suddenly come back?”

Alice asked casually, her head down as she worked through some papers, as if she wasn’t really interested. Bella hadn’t reacted yet, but Ryan nearly jumped out of his skin.

His tablet slipped from his hands and clattered to the floor. He scrambled to pick it up, feeling a bit flustered. Bella had been on his mind all night, so it wasn’t surprising he was a little on edge.

Alice glanced over at him. His strange behavior hadn’t gone unnoticed. He was still acting off, just like yesterday.

She should’ve known better than to bring him out today. Letting him rest at home would’ve been the safer option. Now she was worried.

Bella’s gaze also shifted to Ryan, lingering on him for a couple of seconds. Her expression was unreadable, and before Alice could look over, she had already turned away.

“No matter how good things are abroad, it’s still not home. My family and the person I love are here. Of course, I had to come back.”

Bella’s voice was flat, as if she were just stating a fact. But Ryan nearly dropped his tablet again when he heard her say “the person I love.”

“Someone you love? From what I know, Miss Nella, you left the country four years ago. Has this person been waiting for you all this time?”

Alice shot another glance at Ryan, resisting the urge to tell the driver to take him home. But Bella’s words had piqued her curiosity more than Ryan’s odd behavior.

Alice’s question was probing, but it wasn’t exactly a secret. Bella’s eyes darkened slightly, but she didn’t lash out.

“Four years isn’t that long. And when it comes to true love, time doesn’t really matter.”

“I’ve always loved him, and he’s always loved me. Isn’t that enough?”

For the first time, Bella’s voice carried a hint of emotion. Her eyes shimmered, as if filled with an endless love for the person she was talking about.

The intensity of Bella’s love was so thick, it felt like a solid presence filling the entire car. Even Alice found herself momentarily breathless.

She had only ever seen such deep obsession in one other person—herself.

“And where is this person you love now?”

“Miss Alice, that’s crossing the line.”

With that, their conversation came to an abrupt end. Ryan, sitting nearby, went through a rollercoaster of emotions. At first, he was incredibly tense, terrified that Bella might slip up in front of Alice.

But when the topic shifted to Bella’s lover, he wasn’t sure what to feel anymore. The weight of the atmosphere left him speechless.

After that, the mood in the car returned to something more normal. Perhaps Alice realized her earlier question had been a bit too forward, so she didn’t press any further.

The car smoothly arrived at their destination, pulling up to a stop beside the hospital.

Alice had considered getting out with Ryan, but the mess from yesterday had caused too many problems. She’d already gone to great lengths to move her in-person meetings online, and now she was completely tied up with work.

As for Bella, she hadn’t shown any particular interest in Ryan, so she let him leave without saying a word.

Ryan stepped out of the car, first taking in the unfamiliar sight of the hospital, then glancing back at the two women. They seemed to be heading to a nearby café to wait, as the car wasn’t exactly the most comfortable place to stay.

He couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. After all, Bella had already shown violent tendencies. Pretending nothing was wrong would’ve been strange.

Before leaving, Ryan discreetly called over Alice’s head of security and gave him a vague but clear warning. The man nodded and assured Ryan that nothing would go wrong. Only then did Ryan turn to leave.

It seemed like Alice was deliberately keeping Mia out of the picture today. Yesterday, Ryan had managed to shake Mia off to investigate this whole situation, but now he had no idea where the little troublemaker was.

He had gotten so used to her constant chatter that the sudden quiet felt… off. Something was missing.

As Alice’s car drove away, Ryan stood there, lost in thought. And just then, he felt a force wrap around him from behind—a small body pressed tightly against his back.

“Ryan, were you thinking about Mia?”

“Mia could feel your longing, so I came running! Aren’t I right on time?”

A sugary-sweet voice whispered in his ear, and then, as if to tease him, the girl stood on her tiptoes and lightly licked his earlobe. The soft, slippery touch of her tongue sent a jolt through Ryan’s body, making him tense up instantly.

This was one thing he still couldn’t get used to.

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