Page 63 of The Off-limits Grump Next Door
Seven days had passed since Antonio hung up on me, and my world was crumbling. I spent every waking moment trying to reach him, but he remained elusive—
I’d tried everything. Countless calls went to voicemail, my texts were ignored, and emails unopened. Visits to his apartment resulted in hours of waiting, with no sign of him. Even Jake blocked me after I tried reaching out through him.
My days blurred together as I sat outside Antonio's apartment, hours upon hours, days after days… tears streaming down my face.
I was sitting outside Antonio’s door once again, tears streaming down my face as I tried to convince myself not to go to his family estate. They’d shown me so much love, and I’d ruined everything.
My phone rang. It was the private detective I’d hired.
"Miss Ryan, I’ve sent the documents you requested regarding Eve Michaelson. You should receive them shortly."
I found it funny that even after the divorce, she had held onto the Michaelson last name. It probably opened more doors than her manipulative brain could.
"Thank you," I replied, already eager to see what he’d found.
I quickly returned to my apartment to review the documents. As I scanned through them, a small smile tugged at my lips—the first time I’d smiled in days.
I texted Tina, asking her to come over after work. I’d need backup for what I was about to do.
Then, I dialed Eve’s number.
"Hello?" Eve’s voice was cool, detached.
"Eve, it’s Kendra. We need to talk."
Eve paused. "What could you possibly want to discuss?"
I could hear the anger in her voice, and she had every reason to be upset. Her plan to ruin George had backfired spectacularly—his public revelations had dragged her reputation through the mud.
But what she didn’t know was that I’d uncovered something much worse.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Antonio
I lay in bed, enveloped by the memories of Kendra. This was the room she had stayed in during her visit, and though three weeks had passed, the faint trace of her perfume lingered.
Maybe it was my imagination, but it felt as though every corner of this house was haunted by her—her scent, her presence. I couldn't escape it. My room, the garden, the parlor, the library—each place bore a piece of her, making it impossible to forget.
A soft knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts.
"Antonio, lunch is ready," Damon’s voice echoed from the doorway.
I hadn't noticed him standing there. Without turning around, I muttered, "Not hungry."
The silence that followed hung heavy in the air. Damon hesitated, and I knew he wanted to say more, but I didn’t give him the chance. The weight of Kendra’s betrayal pressed down on me, gnawing at my insides.
The world outside might have moved on—the headlines had faded, and the public had found new scandals to feast on—but inside, my wound was still raw, festering like a fresh cut.
I hadn’t heard from Eve since it all blew up. My birth mother, who had orchestrated this chaos, had gone silent. A part of me was relieved.
But another part of me, the one that longed for an explanation, for some kind of reckoning, wanted her to speak. Why did she choose Kendra, the one woman I had allowed myself to love, to betray me?
I couldn't shake off the feeling of being broken, shattered into a million pieces. Kendra's lies had shredded my trust, leaving me vulnerable.
Countless calls and messages from her went unanswered. I couldn't bear the thought of hearing her voice, of being sucked back into her web of deceit.
Even Jake had tried to intervene. "Give her a listening ear, Antonio. Hear her out." But I couldn't risk it. I couldn't let her manipulate me again.
