The Sky Remembered the Touch of Our Unfinished Goodbyes by Lysa Orion Rehn 103

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Ridley’s POV 

Cedar’s face burned with an unnatural flush, her mind swimming in a haze, I carried her in my arms and coldly deposited her onto the back 

seat of my car. 

She struggled to keep her eyes open, looking up at me with unfocused pupils. “Mr. Sterling, thank you for saving me…” 

If I hadn’t appeared when I did, I couldn’t imagine what might have happened to her. 

I stared at the disheveled woman before me, her clothes torn and disarrayed. Something dark and possessive surged through me, an emotion I 

fought desperately to control. 

“In the future, stay away from the Wrights,” I said coldly, my jaw clenched tight. 

Today I happened to be there to save her. But what if I wasn’t around next time? Would she end up beneath some other man, being violated 

and broken? 

The mere thought of it sent ice through my veins. 

I examined her more closely. Her blouse was ripped, exposing the delicate curve of her collarbone and the pale skin beneath. Every inch of her radiated a vulnerable allure. Her cheek was swollen where someone had struck her, giving her face a disturbing beauty–the kind that awakens something primitive in men. 

Almost involuntarily, I reached out, my hand moving toward her face. 

My fingers were cold against her burning skin. When I touched her swollen cheek, she seemed to find relief from the stinging pain. 

She nuzzled against my palm like a kitten seeking comfort, a gesture so innocent yet so provocative that it ignited something dangerous within 

I swallowed hard, my voice rougher than I intended. ‘Did you hear what I just said?” 

Cedar looked up at me, her usually clear eyes clouded with confusion. “Did you… say something?” 

She tilted her head back, her hair falling in disarray across her shoulders. 

I forced myself to look away. 

I couldn’t afford to lose control. Not here. Not with her. 

Taking a deep breath, I said, “Lie still. I’m taking you to the hospital.” 

We could have our discussion once she was thinking clearly again. 

I slid into the driver’s seat, floored the accelerator, and sped through the Chicago streets. Twenty minutes later, I pulled up outside Northwestern Memorial Hospital. 

Cedars POV 

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Chapter 103 

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The doctors said I’d been drugged with a mild dose of GHB. After they gave me an injection, my mind began to clear, though a belated wave of 

fear washed over me. 

I could understand when my adoptive mother tried to push me into Brad Wilson’s bed before–she had been desperate to save Wright Creatives. But now? The company crisis was resolved, yet Elara and Selena had still conspired to have me humiliated and assaulted. 

Did the Wrights truly despise me that much? After living together for over fifteen years, was there not even a shred of familial feeling? 

How terrifying that human hearts could be so cold. 

Ridley stood beside my hospital bed, looking at me with a complicated expression. 

I bit my lower lip. “Mr. Sterling, thank you for today…” 

A simple thank you felt woefully inadequate, but I didn’t know how else to express my gratitude. This wasn’t the first time he’d saved me. 

“Thanking me is pointless unless you start using your head,” he replied coldly, his voice thick with disapproval. “Don’t go running back to the Wrights every time they call. If you do, I guarantee today’s incident will happen a hundred more times.” 

I lowered my eyes, saying nothing. 

I’d long ago learned how cruel and cold the Wrights could be. I shouldn’t have gone to their home today, but still… 

I gave a bitter smile. “When I was little, I was basically Selena’s servant–treated worse than the actual household staff. She could hit me or berate me whenever she wanted, humiliate me in front of others, and I couldn’t fight back or I’d be called ungrateful. It wasn’t just her. My adoptive mother, Elara, used me as her punching bag. Whenever something displeased her, she’d slap me across the face. And my adoptive father? He just watched coldly while his wife abused me.” 

edison, ed in 

“That’s how I’ve lived all these years. The Wright house was my home, but it was also my prison, and I’ve wanted nothing more than to escape it. In the end, the person who gave me that chance was Grandfather Wright. He never participated in the abuse–he never played the role of tormentor. He even gave me an opportunity to escape that cage. That makes him irreplaceable in my life.” 

“Do you understand what that feels like? When everyone in your life is hitting you, screaming at you, mocking you–but there’s one person who watches from a distance and doesn’t join in the cruelty… in your eyes, that person becomes good. Yes, I was that easily satisfied back then. As long as someone didn’t actively hurt me, I considered them worthy of my gratitude.” 

I hugged my knees to my chest, slowly peeling back the scabs of old wounds. 

Ridley’s face tightened. The suffocating tension in the room made it difficult to breathe. 

The hospital room fell silent. Neither of us spoke for what felt like eternity 

The only sound was the rhythmic dripping of the IV fluid. 

emile. 

When the IV bag was finally empty, I looked up and managed a smile. “You’re right, though. I should be smarter about this. If I keep letting the past bind me, I’ll never escape that prison. Thank you, Mr. Sterling.” 

Ridley shifted uncomfortably, his lips pressed into a thin line. “No need for thanks. Let’s go–I’ll take you home.” 

We drove in silence. When we reached my apartment building in Wicker Park, I thanked him again before wrapping his suit jacket tighter around me and walking toward the entrance. 

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11:24 Wed, Feb 4 @ GG. 

Chapter 103 

His jacket carried the scent of his cologne–cold and austere, yet somehow all–encompassing, just like the man himself. 

In my mind, I kept replaying the moment he burst through the door to save me. What happened after that remained a blur. 

* 95%# 

1 massaged my temples as I fumbled for my keys and collapsed onto my sola. Despite the shock and exhaustion, sleep eluded me. I reached for 

my phone. 

To my surprise, the Wright family was trending on Chicago’s local news: 

SHOCKING SCENE AT WRIGHT PATRIARCH’S 70TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 

“WRIGHT HEIRESS SELENA WRIGHT’S DARK PAST EXPOSED 

“SCANDALOUS ENCOUNTER BETWEEN WRIGHT DAUGHTER AND MALE ESCORT CAUGHT ON CAMERA 

The headlines were sensational, with the top story already exceeding eight million views. 

A quick scan revealed what had happened. If Ridley hadn’t saved me, would I have been the one livestreamed and humiliated? Would my name be in those headlines instead? 

But why had Selena become the victim? The man had been hired to target me, not her. 

Unless… 

I pressed my fingers against my temple, vaguely remembering that after Ridley had rescued me and put me in his car, he’d disappeared for about fifteen minutes. 

What had he done during that time? 

Could it be that what happened to Selena was Ridley’s doing? 

I clutched my phone, incredulous at the thought. To go to such lengths for me–this man’s interest in me must be more than casual.