Chapter 5: Truth, Forgiveness, and Second Chances

In the police station hallway, I sat on a bench, bandaging Ryan’s hand.

“How hard did you hit them? Your hand’s all bruised and bleeding.”

His fair, slender hand was red and bloody at the knuckles.

Ryan’s face was ice-cold.

“If the police had come any later, I’d have killed those two animals.”

I didn’t doubt it. When Scarface and Baldy were taken away, they were unconscious—still in the hospital now.

“Did you come to see me for something?”

Ryan pulled something from his pocket and handed it to me.

“You said your face was scratched. I brought you some ointment.”

Looking at the blue tube, a strange feeling welled up in me, and I couldn’t help but smile.

After bandaging his hand, Ryan walked over to Mallory, who had just finished her statement.

The camera Mallory had so cleverly brought with her became the strongest evidence of her and the two men’s crimes, along with her phone full of explicit chat logs.

The next few years, her companions would be a cold prison bed and a whole lot of regrets.

“Can I talk to her for a minute?” Ryan asked the police.

They nodded, stepping out and closing the door.

For a moment, only Ryan and Mallory were left, staring at each other through the bars.

Uh... and me, eavesdropping outside the door.

After a while, Mallory spoke first.

“If I told you the girlfriend you treasure is a fraud, would you be hurt?”

Her voice was low, but full of desperate spite.

Ryan didn’t react.

“What do you mean?”

Mallory slammed the table, her face twisted as she shouted,

“The person who chatted with you for a year wasn’t her—it was me! The one who called you ‘baby’ and said good morning and good night was me!”

“I only asked her to meet you once, and she stole you from me... I admit I lied, but I’m the one who really likes you!”

Tears streamed down her face as she looked at Ryan.

He lowered his eyes, tapping the table with his fingers.

After a while, he suddenly laughed.

“How do you know the person you chatted with for a year was really me?”

Both Mallory and I froze.

I quickly covered my mouth to stifle a gasp.

Mallory forgot to cry, stammering,

“What do you mean?”

Ryan’s voice was cold and emotionless.

“My cousin was badly burned in a fire—seventy percent of his body was burned, especially his face. He could only use fake photos to date online.”

“However you begged Kelsey to meet, that’s how he begged me.”

My jaw nearly hit the floor.

What a twist—an online couple, both using fake photos!

I couldn’t help but sigh—never thought I’d meet someone as unlucky as me.

Mallory broke down.

“No way, you’re lying!”

Ryan smiled, indifferent.

“Someone like you? I wouldn’t want you in this life or the next.”

Mallory picked up on something, asking quietly,

“You like Kelsey?”

Ryan admitted openly,

“Yes. Actually, I should thank you for giving me the chance to meet her.”

“Too bad you won’t be around to get my thanks. Enjoy your time in prison.”

Mallory went silent, her face ashen, lips trembling. She probably wouldn’t even feel it if someone stabbed her now.

I was even more shocked than Mallory. In my panic, I accidentally bumped my head on the door with a thump.

Ryan turned sharply.

I panicked and ran.

As soon as I reached the police station entrance, someone grabbed my arm.

I turned and saw Ryan. For once, his usually calm, handsome face looked uneasy.

“You heard everything, didn’t you?”

I looked away, embarrassed.

“Uh... if you don’t want me to know, I can pretend I didn’t hear.”

There were a lot of people passing by, not the best place to talk.

Ryan took my hand and led me to his car.

Once it was quiet, he said slowly,

“I was going to tell you all this anyway.”

“The person Mallory dated online wasn’t me—my cousin used my photos.”

“I didn’t want to meet you, but he begged me. When I saw you at the restaurant, I was suddenly glad I agreed.”

“Kelsey, you’re not the only one who went along with a mistake.”

“Will you keep making this ‘mistake’ with me?”

His deep, narrow eyes were full of seriousness and hope, fixed on me.

I’d never been in this situation before—my hands and feet didn’t know where to go, and sweat poured down my forehead.

“You... you like me?”

“Yeah. Very much.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. The moment I saw you at the restaurant, I was already thinking about what we’d name our kids.”

Wow.

He really was a little love-crazy.

A top-tier, rich, handsome guy fell for me at first sight!

I took back everything I said about him not liking me.

This was love!

After thinking it over, I said confidently,

“We both started out making mistakes, so that means—you were wrong, and I was wrong.”

“But in math, two negatives make a positive. So us being together is right!”

Ryan paused for a second, then smiled, the tension in his eyes melting away.

“Right, we’re right together.”

“Heh.”

Outside, snow started falling again.

Outside was grand and romantic; inside, warm and quiet.

Hand in hand, Ryan and I walked through the snow, each step leaving a clear footprint.

Snowflakes fell on our heads.

Before we knew it, we were growing old together.

End of main story.