Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 334: Bella... stop this

Chapter 334: Bella… stop this

Ryan said goodbye to Alice and left the room, glancing down the empty hallway. He didn’t head straight back to his own room.

Alice’s house was full of servants and bodyguards, but they usually stayed in their own areas, separate from the living quarters. Other than mealtimes, you rarely saw them.

By now, Alice was already asleep, and with nothing in the room to be concerned about, only a few bodyguards were patrolling the villa. The rest had gone to rest.

The brief interaction with Alice had momentarily made him forget his troubles, but as soon as he stepped out of her room, that familiar feeling washed over him again. He let out a deep sigh.

It was already 11 p.m., but Ryan knew Bella was probably still awake.

What had happened earlier in the day—though Alice hadn’t caught them directly—must have had a significant impact on Bella.

More importantly, Ryan’s gut told him that Bella was waiting for him in the basement.

Feeling guilty, he glanced back at Alice’s room. He had personally closed the door, and he had been the one to lull her to sleep, but something still felt off. He needed to see Bella, but he was afraid Alice might misunderstand.

After weighing his options, Ryan decided that Bella’s unstable state was the more pressing issue.

Bella wanted to kill someone. Today’s attempt had been amateurish, but if she were pushed too far, she wouldn’t hold back. Ryan had seen Bella at her most unhinged.

With a heavy heart, he headed downstairs. Although Bella was technically staying in the basement, there were no longer any guards posted at the door. Her situation was completely different from before. She was now Alice’s collaborator—at least on the surface.

Ryan’s heart pounded in his chest. For the first time, he felt the weight of fate. Four years ago, he had done everything he could to escape her, and now he was willingly walking back into her life.

But for Alice, for his mission, he had no choice. He could only hope that Bella had changed, even just a little, and wouldn’t make things too difficult for him.

Knock, knock.

His right hand gently tapped the door, the sound instantly pulling Ryan back into those dark memories.

In the empty, silent basement, loneliness was the most terrifying thing. He could endure the damp, cold air, stubbornly avoiding her gaze when she opened her arms to him.

But he couldn’t escape the loneliness inside.

The basement had been deathly quiet, like a graveyard. Every day, the girl would come to see him, but they never spoke.

She would just leave food, bandage his fresh wounds with a smile he couldn’t understand, and then leave without a second thought.

In that place, there was nothing to do but sleep. He had no sense of time, and it seemed like going mad was only a matter of time.

He had held out for the first ten days, gritting his teeth. But on the eleventh day, the girl found a new game. Every time she came, she would knock lightly on the door, and only after he said “Come in” would she bring the food inside.

It seemed like she was showing him respect, but he knew it was just another way to break him down.

But what choice did he have? In that soundless place, all he could hear was his own heartbeat. Countless times, he had fallen asleep only to be startled awake by the rapid pounding of his heart. He had lost all hope.

By the fifteenth day, before the girl even arrived, he would tap his fingers lightly on the floor. He didn’t know why he did it, but it was the only thing that kept him sane.

Just like now. Knock, knock.

“Who is it? Give me a second.”

The sound of rustling clothes came from inside. Ryan stood frozen at the door, staring blankly ahead. His eyes flickered with indecision. He wanted to turn and run, but his legs felt like they were made of lead, refusing to move.

Footsteps approached, getting closer to the door. Ryan’s hand trembled uncontrollably, and he had to grip the doorframe tightly to steady himself.

He took deep breaths, reminding himself that those days were over. And this was Alice’s house. Even if Bella wanted to do something, it wouldn’t be that easy.

Thinking of Alice, her delicate figure flashed in his mind, and Ryan relaxed a little, finally finding some courage.

Bella might be the third daughter of the Langston family now, but she didn’t have much of an advantage over Alice. In the end, these powerful families were driven by interests. As long as it didn’t affect their interests, the Langston family wouldn’t go to war with Alice over Bella.

Ryan’s task was simple: convince Bella to drop whatever she was planning. If she didn’t, it wouldn’t just destroy Alice—it would destroy Bella and him too.

Tap, tap—

The footsteps stopped on the other side of the door. Ryan knew Bella was probably looking through the peephole, checking who was outside. He quickly adjusted his awkward expression, forcing a smile as he waited for her to open the door.

As expected, once Bella saw it was him, she didn’t hesitate and opened the door right away.

She must have already been in bed, as she had thrown on a loose nightgown to answer the door. Her long, pale neck was exposed, and just below the edge of his vision, a hint of alluring black fabric peeked out.

There was something undeniably seductive about her presence. Ryan wasn’t sure if it was perfume or just her natural scent, but one thing was certain: four years ago, she didn’t have this effect on him.

When Bella saw Ryan standing there, her eyes lit up for a brief moment, but then she seemed to remember why he had come. Her pretty face darkened, a shadow of something unreadable crossing her features.

“Mr. Ryan, coming to see me this late at night… that’s not very appropriate, is it? If Alice finds out, she’ll give me hell again tomorrow.”

Bella’s voice was laced with sarcasm, her smile not reaching her eyes. Ryan hadn’t expected her to bring up Alice right away, and his expression faltered for a moment. That brief silence only made Bella’s face grow colder.

Her gaze wandered over Ryan, lingering on his lips without any attempt to hide it. She had dreamed of those lips countless times over the past four years, only to wake up and find them out of reach.

She missed the time before she left the country. What was Ryan’s most painful memory was, for her, the most cherished. She had often imagined how perfect life would be if things had stayed that way.

In her mind, the tragedy wasn’t her fault. It was Ryan who had failed to catch her love. It was Ryan who had betrayed their relationship.

“Bella… stop this.”

Ryan couldn’t stand the way she was looking at him, so openly, so intensely. He almost turned to leave, but before he could, Bella grabbed his wrist. Her grip was surprisingly strong, and for a moment, he couldn’t break free.

Her fingers lightly traced circles on his chest, teasingly drawing patterns. Then, her hand moved upward, finally resting on his lips. Her eyes turned cold as she pressed down hard, rubbing his lips with enough force that it felt like she might tear the skin.

“Well, since my dear brother insists, I’ll have to listen.”

“But you knew exactly what I was thinking, and you still came. Does that mean you’re okay with whatever I do next?”