Falling For The Forbidden

CHAPTER 11

Olivia's POV

The door slammed shut, and the silence that followed was deafening.

Olivia stood frozen in the middle of her living room; her arms still wrapped tightly around herself as if she could somehow hold all the pieces together. But nothing could protect her from the whirlwind of emotions tearing through her at that moment.

Ryan's words echoed in her mind, a constant, relentless reminder of everything she was running from.

*"You have to stop fighting us." *

Her chest ached, each breath feeling like it was getting caught halfway as if even breathing too deeply would make her shatter. She closed her eyes, willing the tears that had been building to stay put. But it was useless. One escaped, rolling down her cheek, followed by another. And another.

*I can't do this. *

She sank onto the edge of the couch, burying her face in her hands, her body trembling with the force of everything she was trying to hold back. She had tried so hard to keep it together, to push down the feelings that had been growing inside her for months, ever since she and Ryan had crossed that unspoken line.

It wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to be the one who made her feel this way—vulnerable, desperate, completely out of control. Ryan was her stepbrother. He was supposed to be off-limits. Yet, every time she was around him, she felt like she was walking a tightrope, constantly teetering on the edge of something dangerous.

Something she wasn't sure she could survive.

Olivia wiped at her eyes, trying to pull herself together, but Ryan's departure still hung heavy in the air. The way he'd looked at her before he left—hurt, frustrated, and desperate for her to give him something, anything—was seared into her mind. She had never seen him like that before.

Vulnerable.

Ryan had always been so sure of himself, so confident, so *in control. * But tonight, he had let her see a side of him that he rarely showed anyone. And it scared her. Because it wasn't just Ryan who was vulnerable—it was her too.

She felt a sob rising in her throat, and she swallowed it down, forcing herself to stand. She couldn't fall apart. Not now. Not after everything.

Her legs felt like lead as she made her way to the window, the night sky stretching out endlessly before her. The city lights flickered below, cars moving in a steady blur of motion, like life was continuing as usual. But her life felt like it was spiraling out of control.

Why did it have to be Ryan?

Why did her heart have to betray her like this? He wasn't just some guy she could walk away from. He was tied to her family, to her life in a way that made everything a thousand times more complicated.

*I don't know if I can do this. *

The thought kept looping in her head, over and over, until it was all she could hear. She had told Ryan the truth—she didn't know if she could be with him. There were too many risks and too many consequences. What would their parents think? What would everyone think? How could they ever explain it?

But even as the logical part of her brain tried to lay out all the reasons why this was a terrible idea, her heart whispered something else.

*He's the one. *

Olivia closed her eyes, letting her forehead rest against the cool glass. She didn't want to believe it, didn't want to accept the truth that had been staring her in the face for months now. But she couldn't deny it anymore. She had fallen for Ryan—harder than she had ever fallen for anyone.

And that terrified her.

The sound of her phone buzzing snapped her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen, hoping—maybe foolishly—that it was Ryan, that he had changed his mind and sent her a message. But it wasn't. It was her mom.

Her fingers hovered over the screen, debating whether or not to answer. She wasn't ready to talk to her mom, wasn't ready to deal with the guilt of keeping this massive secret from her. But if she didn't answer, it would only raise more questions.

With a heavy sigh, Olivia swiped to answer.

"Hi, Mom," she said, her voice shaky.

"Sweetheart, are you okay? You sound... off," her mother's voice was soft, concerned.

Olivia forced a smile, even though her mom couldn't see her. "I'm fine. Just a long day."

Her mom hesitated on the other end of the line. "Well, I just wanted to check-in. I haven't heard from you in a while. How are you? How's work going, Liv? And... are you seeing anyone lately? I feel like you haven't told me much about your life these days."

Olivia's stomach twisted painfully at the question. How would she react if she knew the truth? If she knew what was going on between me and Ryan?

"It's fine," Olivia said quickly, trying to deflect. "Work's been busy, but everything's fine."

Her mom seemed to buy it, letting out a small sigh of relief. "Good. I just worry about you, you know? You work so hard, and I want you to have someone special in your life."

Olivia felt the weight of those words. Someone special. The phrase felt so loaded, especially when it came to Ryan. "I'll keep that in mind, Mom. Really."

After a few more pleasantries, she hung up, sinking back onto the couch as the weight of it all pressed down on her once more.

She couldn't keep this up. She couldn't keep pretending that she didn't feel anything for Ryan, couldn't keep lying to her mom, to herself. But the alternative—admitting the truth, facing the consequences—felt impossible.

Her phone buzzed again, but this time it wasn't a call. It was a message. From Ryan.

Olivia stared at the screen for a long moment before opening it.

*"I meant what I said. I'm done waiting, Olivia. When you're ready to stop running, you know where to find me." *

Her heart squeezed painfully at his words. He was giving her an ultimatum—telling her that he wasn't going to chase her anymore. That if she wanted him, she had to choose to go to him.

But was she ready?

Could she risk everything for him?

Olivia stood, pacing the length of her apartment, her mind racing. She wanted him. God, she wanted him. But wanting him wasn't enough. There were too many questions and too many uncertainties.

But one thing was clear: this wasn't going away. Not for her. And not for him.

She had a choice to make.

And no matter what she decided, nothing would ever be the same.

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