Chapter 254: Sunshine
Ryan’s POV
The drive from the funeral, back to the penthouse had taken longer than necessary thanks to traffic, but they had finally made it.
As happy as he was to be home, there was something that was not sitting well with Ryan.
Vivian had been far too quiet since they had left the funeral. At first, Ryan had not minded it, thinking that she needed a few moments to herself to process everything that had gone on. But now it was honestly starting to worry him.
Had taking her there been a mistake? Perhaps they should not have attended? Or maybe he should have insisted that they keep walking when Bryce’s brother had called out to them.
Before the young man had talked to them, she had been fine. Now she had been sitting on the couch staring at the black screen of the TV for close to an hour, and she had not moved. Standing over by the kitchen island, Ryan kept throwing wary glances her way as he put together a sandwich. The simple meal done, he poured juice into a glass and carried the food over to her.
"Here, have something," He said. It took far too long for Vivian to react. When she finally turned to him, she blinked slowly, her gaze moving from the food to his face before she seemed to get what he meant.
Taking the food from his hands, she put it on the table and went back to just staring into the distance. Not sure what else to do. Ryan sat down next to her, his arms coming around her. Glad when she did not resist the contact, instead melting onto his side, a relieved sigh escaping her.
Unbelievably pleased that whatever it was that she was going through, she at least seemed to realize that he was on her side no matter what, Ryan stayed silent, just holding her and letting her work through her emotions. Whatever was going on with her, she would share it with him once she was ready, he just had to be there.
***
"Thank you for taking me to the funeral and for making arrangements for me to go. Were it not for you, I would not have even considered it. But I am really thankful that I went there," Given that she had been silent for close to two hours, her suddenly unleashing so many words took Ryan by surprise. But he did not let his shock at her suddenly speaking up show. Instead he just rolled with it.
"Will you be keeping in touch with his family? His brother seemed like he would be receptive if you were to reach out again," Vivian was silent for a few seconds and it was clear to him that she was considering his words, then she shook her head.
"I do not think I will do that. I have said everything that I wanted to say to Alex and I believe that he got some things that had been bugging him off his chest as well. There is no need for us to keep picking at old wounds. I am well and truly done with the Bryce Chapter of my life," She took a deep breath before she carried on.
"It is time for me to move forward,"
"Are you sure you will not regret that?" Ryan asked, she nodded, " Pretty much. I was never that close with Bryce’s family. He always told me that he didn’t want me to go see them too often because it was shameful to be seen with me. That I was negatively impacting his image of being a fitness instructor by being so out of shape,"
Just what had been wrong with Bryce?! Feeling his temper spike, Ryan had to once again remind himself that it was no use being angry at a dead man and thinking of beating him up. He was dead. He literally would not feel a thing.
In the end, his anger was unimportant. What was important was the fact that Vivian had managed to find a sense of peace.
But that made Ryan curious about something else.
"If going to the funeral really was as beneficial as you say it was for you, why were you silent for so long? It actually kind of freaked me out,"
***
At his question he expected Vivian’s reaction to be a sorrow filled look and for her to tell him about how she had been thinking of all of the times that Bryce had mistreated her and how awful she had felt after every encounter with the man. But instead of looking down trodden, Vivian laughed softly a smile on her face.
"I was actually thinking about a realization that I came to after talking with Alex," His curiosity dialed all the way to the max. Ryan felt both of his brows rise, " And what realization was that?" Humming softly, Vivian laced their hands together. Her smaller daintier fingers easily slipping between his.
I was thinking about how you are actually the only man that I have ever loved. Sure there was a point where I cared about Bryce. But love...no... I have only ever felt that for you," Hearing her say such a thing, had Ryan feeling like he had swallowed the sun.
The rush of emotion that he got from hearing Vivian say such words to him was unmatched. Drawing her in for a kiss, Ryan did not let up until both of them had swollen lips and were smiling like idiots.
"You, are the first woman that I have ever truly loved Vivian Rose, all others are nothing compared to you,"
Smiling softly, Vivian kissed his cheek.
"Are you sure that you love me? I need some convincing," She clearly meant her words as a joke, but Ryan took them as a challenge. Gently cradling her face in his hands he told her how she made him feel.
"You, Vivian rose, are my one true love, my sunshine in the dark, my everything, I love you, and I always will," He meant every word and so long as he drew breath, he knew that that would remain true.