Divorced After His Livestream Affair Chapter 08

Divorced After His Livestream Affair Chapter 08

He Finally Realized What He Lost

The next morning, Ryan appeared on every business news channel in America.

Again.

This time, it wasn’t because of Sophia.

It was because investors were leaving.

One after another.

Fast.

Too fast.

I sat in my office watching the coverage while drinking coffee.

“Shares of Cole Enterprises have fallen another twelve percent this week…”

“The company has yet to address allegations involving CEO Ryan Cole…”

“Several major investors have reportedly withdrawn support…”

The anchor continued talking.

I muted the television.

My phone rang.

Alexander.

“Please tell me that’s your work.”

His laugh came through immediately.

“Partly.”

“Partly?”

“I didn’t tell them to leave.”

“Then why are they leaving?”

“Because investors like money.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Very insightful.”

“They’re afraid Ryan is distracted.”

“He is distracted.”

“Exactly.”

I smiled.

For the first time in weeks, things were moving faster than I expected.

Then my assistant knocked.

“Miss Hart?”

“Come in.”

She looked nervous.

“Ryan Cole is downstairs.”

I sighed.

Again.

“What does he want this time?”

“He says it’s an emergency.”

Alexander immediately spoke through the phone.

“Don’t let him up.”

Too late.

The office door suddenly opened.

Ryan walked inside.

Without permission.

Without knocking.

Without dignity.

Alexander laughed.

“Wow.”

“What?”

“He looks terrible.”

I almost smiled.

Because he did.

Ryan looked exhausted.

His eyes were bloodshot.

His tie was crooked.

His hair was a mess.

This was the same man who once spent twenty minutes choosing a pocket square.

Now he looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

I ended the call.

Ryan immediately noticed.

“Was that him?”

I ignored the question.

“What do you want?”

Ryan closed the door.

Then something unexpected happened.

He took a deep breath.

And sat down.

Not across from me.

Not beside me.

Directly in front of my desk.

Like someone preparing for a confession.

My instincts immediately screamed danger.

Not physical danger.

Emotional danger.

Because desperate people said desperate things.

And Ryan had officially become desperate.

“I miss you.”

There it was.

I almost laughed.

Not because it was funny.

Because it was absurd.

Three weeks ago, he was buying Sophia jewelry.

Now suddenly he missed me.

Amazing.

“I don’t.”

His face tightened.

“Emily.”

“No.”

I held up a hand.

“You don’t get to do this.”

“Do what?”

“Pretend this is a love story.”

Silence.

Ryan looked away.

Then back.

“I made a mistake.”

There was that word again.

Mistake.

Like he’d accidentally sent the wrong email.

Like he’d accidentally kissed Sophia for six months.

Like he’d accidentally bought her a penthouse.

A mistake.

I was getting sick of that word.

“You made choices.”

Ryan swallowed.

“Fine.”

“Good.”

“I made bad choices.”

“Much better.”

For a moment neither of us spoke.

Then he surprised me.

“You know what the worst part is?”

I raised an eyebrow.

“There are so many options.”

Ryan laughed bitterly.

“No.”

He looked directly at me.

“The worst part is that you stopped looking at me the same way.”

The words caught me off guard.

Not because they were romantic.

Because they were true.

For years I’d looked at Ryan like he was my future.

Now I looked at him like evidence.

And he knew it.

“You noticed.”

A sad smile crossed his face.

“How could I not?”

I wasn’t expecting honesty.

Not from him.

Not anymore.

Ryan leaned back.

“You used to smile whenever I walked into a room.”

I remained silent.

“You used to call me when something good happened.”

Silence.

“You used to tell me everything.”

His voice cracked slightly.

That surprised both of us.

For a second Ryan looked shocked by his own reaction.

Then angry.

Because he hated vulnerability.

Always had.

“I hate him.”

I blinked.

“What?”

“Alexander.”

Of course.

Ryan laughed humorlessly.

“I hate the way you smile when you’re talking to him.”

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Because that sounded suspiciously like jealousy.

And jealousy meant fear.

Fear meant weakness.

Good.

“You weren’t jealous when you were sleeping with Sophia.”

His face immediately hardened.

“That’s different.”

I laughed.

Actually laughed.

“Damn.”

“What?”

“The audacity.”

“Emily—”

“No, seriously.”

I shook my head.

“You cheat on me for months, but somehow you’re upset because I answered Alexander’s phone calls?”

Ryan stood up.

“Nothing happened between you two.”

The certainty in his voice was almost cute.

Almost.

“Why are you so sure?”

The question hit him hard.

For the first time all conversation, Ryan genuinely looked nervous.

Good.

Let him wonder.

Let him suffer.

Let him imagine.

I’d spent weeks imagining what he was doing with Sophia.

Now it was his turn.

“Emily.”

His voice became quiet.

Dangerously quiet.

“Tell me the truth.”

I smiled.

“No.”

The answer nearly broke him.

I could see it.

Because Ryan was used to information.

Control.

Access.

He always got answers.

Now he wasn’t getting any.

And it was driving him insane.

His phone suddenly buzzed.

He ignored it.

Then again.

Ignored.

Then again.

I looked down.

The caller ID was visible.

Sophia.

I burst out laughing.

Ryan immediately grabbed the phone.

Too late.

I’d already seen it.

“Wow.”

“It’s not what you think.”

I nearly fell out of my chair.

“Did you seriously just say that?”

Ryan cursed under his breath.

The phone kept ringing.

Sophia. Sophia.

Again and again.

Finally, I pointed at it.

“You should answer.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

His jaw tightened.

“Because I’m talking to you.”

The irony was incredible.

I smiled sweetly.

“Maybe she’s crying.”

Ryan closed his eyes.

“Emily.”

“Maybe she’s begging you not to leave.”

His eyes opened immediately.

And there it was.

The recognition.

The realization.

Those were his words.

From the livestream.

The words that started all of this.

The color drained from his face.

Good.

I wanted him to remember.

Every single second.

“I deserved that.”

I blinked.

Unexpected.

Ryan laughed bitterly.

“I really deserved that.”

For several seconds we simply stared at each other.

Then he reached into his jacket.

My body tensed.

He pulled out a small box.

A jewelry box.

Oh no.

Absolutely not.

He placed it on my desk.

“I bought this last week.”

I didn’t touch it.

“Take it back.”

“Emily.”

“Take it back.”

His shoulders slumped.

The fight seemed to leave him.

Just like that.

For the first time, he looked defeated.

Not angry.

Not manipulative.

Not charming.

Just defeated.

And strangely…

That was the saddest he’d looked all day.

Not because I felt bad for him.

Because it confirmed something.

He really hadn’t believed I’d leave.

Not until now.

Not until this exact moment.

The realization settled between us.

Heavy.

Permanent.

Ryan slowly picked up the box.

Then nodded.

Once.

“Okay.”

I stared.

That was it?

No argument?

No manipulation?

No speech?

Just okay?

Ryan turned toward the door.

Halfway there, he stopped.

Without looking back, he asked:

“Did you ever really love me?”

The question surprised me.

Not because I didn’t know the answer.

Because he genuinely didn’t.

After everything.

After three years.

After the affair.

After the lies.

He still wasn’t sure.

I laughed softly.

Then answered honestly.

“More than you deserved.”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Then Ryan nodded.

Once.

And walked out.

The door closed behind him.

For a long time, I stared at the empty space.

Then my phone rang.

Alexander.

I answered.

“Well?”

“He’s finally panicking.”

Alexander laughed.

“Good.”

I smiled.

But for some reason, watching Ryan leave hadn’t felt as satisfying as I’d imagined.

Not because I missed him.

Because I’d finally seen the truth.

Ryan wasn’t heartbroken because he loved me.

Ryan was heartbroken because he had finally realized what he lost.

And by then…

It was already too late.