The CEO's Rose

Vivian’s POV

It was two in the morning on a weeknight. Vivian had to be at work in a few hours. She should have been asleep, but instead of doing that very reasonable thing. Vivian was wide awake. She was not in bed either.

Instead, she was in the living room, staring at the TV. There were figures moving across the screen, their mouths in motion despite the fact that no sound was being made thanks to her having pressed the mute button.

To be honest, Vivian was not really watching the movie. She just needed something to keep her eyes busy, so that she did not see the image of Bryce taunting her, telling her that she was no better than him.

It was not working out as well as she had hoped. She kept seeing her ex’s face in place of those of the people that were actually acting on screen. Picking up the remote, Vivian pointed at the TV, wondering if she should just switch the device off and go back to bed. Maybe it would be easier to quiet her mind in there now that she had spent a few hours away from the bedroom.

Deciding against that she switched channels instead, ending up watching a cartoon. It was a weird one where the characters were made up of letters of the alphabet. Something that she was sure her kids would love. But Vivian did not even know the name of the show that she was watching. She was just staring as the letters kept moving around on the screen, going on adventures and forming words.

She had just watched them spell the word ’love’ when Ryan’s voice came from behind her. Vivian too tired to even react, she merely turned to face him as he spoke.

"You do not have to keep doing this, you know that right?"

***

Blinking Vivian turned her head to the side as Ryan came to take his seat next to her.

"Keep doing what? Watching TV?" She asked. A look of irritation passed over Ryan’s face and she just knew that he was not happy with her answer. She had been hoping that he would go with that instead of wanting her to address the elephant in the room, but now she knew that he meant business. Ryan meant that he was tired of her constantly getting up in the middle of the night.

It was ruining his sleep. In a bid to keep herself from bothering him, it seemed that all she had managed to do was annoy him even more. She was just about to apologize for messing with his sleep schedule when Ryan spoke, his words leaving her absolutely stunned.

"Do not play games with me, Vivian. I mean that if you want to leave, then fine. I won’t hold it against you. Just stop with these little games,"

What?

Ryan wanted her gone. Sure she had been down in the dumps for a few days now. But she had been doing her best to keep away from him and make sure that her dark mood did not cross over to him.

Yet it seemed that Ryan was done putting up with all of the baggage that she came with. The man wanted out, and just hearing him say those words made Vivian feel as though someone had reached into her chest and pulled her heart right out.

***

She wanted to beg him, to plead for more time, for a chance to fix things, to get herself in order. But Vivian knew Ryan. He did not say something unless he meant it. Blinking the tears out of her eyes, she nodded and when she spoke, she was glad that her voice did not betray how much agony she was in.

"Can you at least give me until morning? I will pack my things and leave then," Instead of taking his words back, Ryan merely nodded.

"All right, I will give you that much. For tonight I will sleep in the guest room. You take the bedroom." Vivian’s brows rose at that. He wanted things to end and yet he was still giving up his own comfort for her. Watching him get up and turn to leave, Vivian found herself calling out to him before she could think better of it.

"Ryan?" He turned back to her. The question clear on his face.

"What?" He asked, and for a moment she almost thought she heard him bite back a sob. When he did not burst into tears though, she realized that she must have imagined it and carried on, proud that she met his gaze despite how fragile she felt.

"Did our relationship mean as much to you as it did to me?" She asked. Her voice failing her as it wavered a bit. Staring at her incredulously, Ryan sat back down.

"What do you mean did it mean as much to me? You are the one who doesn’t care anymore. You spend nights wandering about, and you very clearly do not want me touching you,"

What?

Hope blooming in her heart. She stared at Ryan with wide eyes.

"What are you talking about? I want to be with you every second of every day. I walk around the penthouse at night because I don’t wish to ruin your sleep,"

Instead of looking relieved, Ryan looked hurt by her response

"Don’t lie to me, Vivian. If you truly wish for us to be together, why were you so distant?"

"I was trying to protect you!" Vivian found herself saying, her voice sharper than intended. Ryan stared at her. His face full of disbelief. "Protect me from what?"

"From me. I’m scared I’m going to turn out evil, like Bryce," Ryan opened and closed his mouth. Then he brought his hand up and rubbed at his forehead.

"Wait, you mean to tell me you’ve been pulling back because you somehow think you will turn into your ex. Someone who is very dead, and was his own person just as you are your own?" When he put it like that, Vivian’s reasoning sounded ridiculous.

But that did not take away how fearful Vivian was of such an outcome.

"I know it is silly. But I feel like now that he’s gone his darkness is lingering around me. That it’s going to infect me and I’m going to become something horrible," Suddenly moving from where he was seated, Ryan came to crouch right in front of her. His hands on her knees he looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Listen to me, Vivian Rose. You are nothing like that man and you never will be,"

Wiping tears from her eyes she shook her head.

"But what if I really am turning into someone evil?" Cradling her face between his hands, Ryan kissed her lips, when he pulled back he was smiling.

"If you turn into this mega villain, then I will be right next to you as your sidekick. So forget all of this nonsense about trying to protect me from your dark side. I love all of you, Vivian Rose, no matter what, that is why I want you to be my wife..."

The last part of Ryan’s statement took a moment to sink in for her, and when it did, Vivian’s eyes went wide, her mouth falling open in shock. Ryan, who was still crouched before her, perfectly mirroring the expression.

What?!