Chapter 7 - The Person Behind Ryan’s Confidence
Ryan finally broke.
Not completely.
But enough.
“I was trying to fix things.”
Emily looked at him.
“Fix?”
Her voice shook.
“You hurt me.”
He looked away.
That was the closest thing to an admission.
The soldier asked:
“Who told you to do this?”
Ryan stayed silent.
I stepped forward.
“Answer.”
For the first time, my voice carried authority.
Not as a father.
As someone who had spent a lifetime making people answer.
Ryan noticed.
He remembered the uniform.
The insignia.
The soldiers.
The room belonged to him five minutes ago.
Now it didn’t.
“I was told she wouldn’t fight back.”
Emily closed her eyes.
Because that was the truth.
They didn’t just hurt her.
They calculated her silence.
The soldier looked at me.
“We need to know who gave that instruction.”
Ryan swallowed.
Then said:
“You already know him.”
The room froze.
I looked at him.
“Who?”
Ryan looked toward the hallway.
May you like
And whispered a name.
📖 Chapter 8 reveals the name Ryan gives and why it connects to a secret Emily’s family tried to hide. 👇
