Supposed To Be Mine

Chapter 29

UNEDITED

With her stomach tied up in knots, River washed the few dirty dishes in her kitchen sink. There was a dishwasher right beside her but, she needed to wash them by hand. She scrubbed so much worry onto the plates they began screeching for relief. What is she going to do? She circles her mind around and around with absolutely no conclusion.

The bell rings. She turns the water off and dries her hands. She quickly hurries to the door for who she thinks is Landen. It wasn't. Her bright fake smile fades. "Ryan." She mumbles in surprise.

"Here." He extends his hands out.

Her ring, he was giving back her ring. Or at least that's what she thought. Between his fingers was not her ring. Instead, it was tablets.

"For your headache." He clarifies. "I don't know if you have anything. Did you take anything?" He reaches for her face wanting to feel her head as if he would feel her pain.

Blink River, she orders herself. Thankfully she was able to obey. She moves her head away and doesn't bother with his question."Can I have my ring back?"

Rolling his eyes now, he takes her hand and puts the pills in them. "Take something and get some rest." He begins stalking away from her.

"Please, Ryan!" She yells out.

He freezes and turns back, but regardless of the contemplation in his eyes, he walks away.

She shuts her door and leans back against it.

The doorbell rings again. Please let it be Ryan with her ring. She wasn't that lucky. It was Landen.

"Hey." She turns sideways to let him in but he didn't move. "Come in." She tries again.

"Walk with me." He nods his head to the left. Showing her which direction.

She slips on her slippers and lets him guide her onto the stone path that led to the garden and pool. He sat her down in the gazebo very close and gripped one or her hands with both of his.

"What is it?" She asks. "You're scaring me."

He clears his throat. "The day after I proposed, I went to my mother. I told her we were engaged and you know what she said to me?" His eyes didn't meet hers. He kept starring their connected hands.

She shakes her head. "No"

"She was ecstatic. She was so happy that you found someone. That we found each other. But especially because of your broken engagement to my brother." It ripped open his chest when he found out, now that wound was being reopened. 

She pulls away from her hand instantly. He knows. She stands up and turns her back on him. She was extremely embarrassed. Every time she even though back about her years in college she felt supremely stupid. Now Landen knows, that she waited like an obedient dog for his brother. Her face turned crimson and her vision blurred.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry." Her voice cracks.

He stands up, grips shoulders and turns her around, forcing her to face him. "Just tell me why?"

"I'm ashamed." She pulls her self away from him. "Okay? I was a fool for over six years. You think that's easy for anyone? You think I even want to be reminded? Of how dumb I am; for thinking Ryan would even agree to something like that."

"But he did Ree."

"What?" A line appeared between her brows. Did she hear him correctly? She wipes fallen tears from her cheeks. "Can you say that one more time?"

"My mother also warned me that you didn't know the full truth. They wanted to save your feelings, but I don't think it did any good."

"What truth?" Her expression hardened.

Bluntly, he admits. "Ryan and you were engaged, he did know, he did agree, and he broke it off."

Her hands turned to fist at her sides. The life from within her felt like it was being sucked right out. "All this time." She mumbles. "My mother lied to me."

"She was protecting you. Ryan chose Anastasia."

River takes a silent sharp intake of breath. The pain in her gut was getting worse. Twisting turning and chewing on her insides. More tears fell from her eyes, like a slowly dripping faucet. She covers her face in her hands and sobs gently. That when she feels Landen's solid arms come around her. She let him hold her for a few moments before pulling away and glaring at him. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Wouldn't you want to know?"

"Yes." She sniffles. "But why? Why now? Why period?"

He reaches into his pocket and then holds out her engagement ring in the center of his palm. "This is why. You want to explain why my brother has your ring, and why you lied about it being in your room?"

"He took it. I don't know why, and I lied for the same reason I didn't tell you about-" She Stops. It was no longer real in just her head, it was real, it was all real. She and Ryan were actually engaged and he called it off. She wipes her cheeks, sniffles, and clears her throat. "I lied because I didn't want to tell you about the engagement. I thought it should have maybe stayed In my head."

"This ring should have stayed on your finger."

"You're right." She looks to the ground.

"River, do you have feelings for Ryan?"

After learning what she just learned, she was infuriated He ended their engagement for another woman. Every single moment of care in his eyes was a lie. He couldn't care one crap about her. Now he wanted to act as if he has every right to her. He wants to demand her to end her relationship. Who the hell did he think he is? She clenches her jaw. "I hate him." She squeezes her eyes shut. "I need to go." She turns away and starts walking away but, is grabbed.

Landen gently tugs her back in front of him. "Where are you going without this?" He holds up the diamond.

She swallows and looks everywhere but his eyes. "I think... I need time." She can't do this. She was more sure than ever that she wasn't doing the right thing. This has to end.

"What does that mean?" He squints.

"I'm just so confused." She puts her hands to her head and takes two steps back from him. "I...I don't think being engaged is the right thing right now. I don't think it ever was."

"You don't want to be with me?"

"I..."Guilty eyes rested on his chest. "No." She couldn't look at his expression. She backs away while looking at the ground and runs back to her room.

Every part of her became paralyzed the moment she crosses the doorway. She was embarrassed, ashamed, and betrayed to the ninth degree. How could she continuously be so dumb? Everyone felt sorry and pitied her she was so stupid.

In that second, with anger boiling over in her she notices her phone light up from the middle of her bed. She reaches for it and see's two missed calls from Ryan and a text from a co-worker. He has the nerve to call her? As she was glaring angrily at the phone, it rings. Ryan again.

"You Asshole!" She picks up.

"Got your ring back?"

"You broke off our engagement?"

He exhales. "I can explain."

"How dare you lie? How dare you pretend you didn't know? How dare you think you have any right over me?"

"River-" He gets cut off.

"You're a coward for not ending things with me yourself. I would have at least had some respect for you for telling me you fell for someone else."

"I did-" He was cut off again. this time by the call ends.
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