âCarrie? What brings you here?â
Bella pinched Carrieâs soft cheek with glee.
Carrie pursed her lips shyly and clung to her teddy. âI missed you and
Justin, so I came over.â
Justin curled his lips.
He enjoyed being associated with Bella.
Bella did not feel comfortable that Carrie saw her and Justin as a pair. Nevertheless, it tugged on
Bellaâs heart to see Carrie holding. onto the teddy she gave her. Bella caressed Carrieâs head lovingly.
âI missed you too, Carrie.â
She then turned callously to Ryan and asked, âDid you bring Carrie here from Shannonâs birthday
party?â
âYeah, I did,â Ryan admitted with a smile.
âYet, you have the audacity to be proud of yourself.â
Filled with rage, Bella got up in his face and poked his shoulder. âYou only care about being together
with Carrie and your own happiness. Have you ever considered Carrieâs feelings? You took Carrie
away without thinking about the consequences. What happens when Carrie goes home? Gregory and
Shannon will come down hard on her.â
âHome? Why should Carrie go back to a home where her mother and sister donât treat her like family?â
Ryan raised his brow, his gaze burning. âCarrie has been living with
me.â
Bellaâs eyes bulged in shock. âWhat did you say?â
âI registered my property on the hilltop under Carrieâs name. Thatâs
her home now. When she doesnât feel happy or safe with Shannon
and Bethany at the Salvadorsâ residence, she can just live at the
hilltop villa.â Ryan cocked his head and looked tenderly at Carrie.
Bella pinched her nose bridge in fury.
âWhen did this happen?â
Unable to sit back and do nothing, Justin strolled to his buddyâs side
with furious eyes. âHow dare you live with my sister, Ryan? The nerve
of you.â
âWe have done nothing but live together!â Feeling misunderstood, Ryan was eager to explain himself.
Many women threw themselves at Ryan, getting naked and slipping
under his covers.
Ryan had kicked all of them out of his bed.
However, his intimacy with Carrie was only limited to hugs and
kisses. He had never unbuttoned her clothes or violated her.
Ryan considered himself stained.
Carrie, on the other hand, was the definition of purity. He was reluctant to touch her, knowing he did not
deserve her.
Ryan was glad enough to just stay by her side.
âDo you even believe the words that are coming out of your mouth,
Ryan?â
Bella ground her teeth, her eyes welling up. âIf you expect me to believe that youâll stay away from
women, that is when pigs fly.â
Ryan furrowed his brows, lost for words.
It felt to him as if Carrie was Justin and Bellaâs daughter, while he was her boyfriend, whom they
disapproved of.
âJustin, Bella!â
Carrie walked up and stood firmly in front of Ryan, her face flushed
with anxiety. âDonât say that about Ryan. It was me. I wanted to be with Ryan.â
Justin and Bella were shocked.
Ryan teared up as his heart pounded out of his chest.
He spread his arms apart from behind and held Carrie, resting his chin on top of her head. With the girl
clinging to her teddy, th ked like a family of three.
âIâll drop you off at Grandpa Nigelâs place after the party, okay, Carrie?â Bella looked into Carrieâs clear
eyes and asked softly.
Carrie bit her lips and hung her head low.
Bella was taken aback and sighed. âDo you really want to be with him?â