Chapter 6 I'll Never Step Out Of Line Again

A sudden tension settled over the group, and Kailey's eyes drifted to Olivia, who stood close by Ryan's side.

Though Olivia remained silent, there was no mistaking the satisfaction in her gaze-she seemed to relish every bit of the uncomfortable moment.

Kailey pouted and answered softly, "It's nothing important. Julia just asked if I'd found an internship, and I told her I had."

Julia immediately picked up on the shift and hurried to smooth things over. "That's right. Kailey's about to finish school, and I thought she might join our company for a while."

Ryan's eyes lingered on Kailey for a while before responding, "She'll be starting her internship with one of Owen Group's subsidiaries. There's no need for anyone else to worry."

Olivia finally broke her silence, wearing a gentle smile. "I heard Kailey's been doing very well at university. She's bound to do great wherever she lands. Ryan, you really ought to respect her choices too."

Ryan, still in the habit of managing Kailey's affairs, replied without thinking, "She hasn't spent much time in the real world yet. How could she know what's best for herself?"

Kailey almost laughed. He always made choices for her.

She lowered her eyes and, with quiet resolve, replied, "I'm almost twenty-one. I can figure out what's good for me."

For a split second, something like surprise flashed in Ryan's eyes before they turned cold once more.

He assumed she was challenging him just for the sake of it, convinced her attitude was only getting worse.

He wanted to confront her on the spot, but remembered the celebration around them.

His tone was cold as he said, "You'd better figure it out. While you're here, don't wander off. You'll come back with me when this is over."

Once those words left his mouth, he walked away with Olivia, not giving Kailey so much as a backward glance.

Kailey had grown used to his cold shoulder over the past few days. If he wanted to ignore her, she'd let him. After all, her time here was nearly up. There was a strange comfort in the silence he left behind.

Julia, having seen the entire exchange, slipped an arm around Kailey's shoulders, her voice full of sympathy. "Honestly, I didn't expect Ryan to act this way. There's really nothing charming about someone so set in his ways. Let's just forget about him."

Kailey nodded, her agreement wholehearted. "He's not going to get under my skin anymore."

Thinking Kailey needed a distraction, Julia decided not to introduce her to the other guests. Instead, they wandered through the villa's grounds together.

Tucked between rolling hills and winding streams, the manor offered a kind of quiet beauty that eased Kailey's mind.

A flicker of guilt passed through her. "Julia, I hope I'm not keeping you from your other guests."

"Don't be silly. This place is meant for relaxing," Julia replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "If Ryan ever yells at you again, just chalk it up to a midlife crisis-men get cranky as they get older."

Kailey held back a laugh but kept her future plans to herself. It wouldn't matter much longer-there would be no next time.

The celebration stretched late into the evening, with guests doting over Julia's baby boy. As people began to say their goodbyes, a few tipsy voices broke out in teasing.

"Ryan, when's the big day for you and Olivia? You're not getting any younger. Don't keep us waiting! And when you finally have your own little one, we'll bring the best gifts to your celebration!"

The space fell into a sudden hush.

A few guests cast quick, sympathetic glances at Kailey, their expressions tinged with pity.

Olivia's smile never faltered. She acted as though she hadn't picked up on any of it and responded sweetly, "Of course, we'd love to have everyone there."

The tension slowly melted away, and after a few more rounds of banter, people drifted off into the night.

Left with little choice, Kailey climbed into Ryan's car.

Olivia claimed the front seat, happily adjusting the air and queuing up her favorite playlist. She turned around and offered a stick of gum to Kailey. "Ryan brought these back from his last trip. They're impossible to find here-give one a try."

Kailey met Olivia's cheerful gaze with a blank stare. "No, thank you."

A quick glance in the rearview mirror caught Ryan's irritated expression.

Ignoring him, Kailey kept her eyes glued to her phone, feigning indifference.

After a beat, Olivia withdrew her hand and smiled awkwardly before turning to Ryan instead. "Kailey's not interested. You should have it."

For the rest of the ride, Kailey tuned out their conversation. Olivia chattered away about upcoming weddings, high-end bridal gowns, and every detail she'd dreamed up for her own big day.

Ryan replied to each comment, his tone a little too pointed, as if he wanted to make sure Kailey heard every word.

But Kailey wasn't listening. Her attention was fixed on her phone as she sent Kyson a message. "Julia's baby is adorable-huge cheeks you just want to pinch."

Kyson asked, "Only a month old?"

"Yep, today's his one-month party."

A moment later, her phone buzzed with an audio message.

Kailey, suspecting mischief, converted it to text.

It read, "You like babies that much? Let's have one together."

She knew he was teasing, but the idea made her laugh out loud.

Her smile faded when she noticed Ryan's eyes on her in the rearview mirror, his brow furrowed as he tried to read her expression.

From where she sat, Kailey caught a glimpse of Olivia's sour expression in the mirror.

She couldn't understand what she'd done wrong. Hadn't she kept to herself the whole drive?

Thinking back, she realized Olivia had been venting about the apartment's lousy maintenance-complaining that the management never fixed anything on time. Apparently, a burst pipe at home had left Olivia soaked and upset.

It dawned on Kailey that maybe they thought she was laughing at Olivia's story. That couldn't be further from the truth, but there was no point explaining.

No one spoke after that. The silence stretched until they pulled up to Olivia's place, bringing the tense drive to an end.

Ryan stepped out and circled the car to open the door for Olivia, his voice gentle. "Next time, don't try to deal with these things yourself. Just call me, alright?"

Olivia sniffled. "I know. I just don't want to trouble you."

"It's never a bother. If you need anything, you call me."

Kailey turned her gaze out the window, unwilling to witness their tender moment.

Soon after, Ryan slid back into the driver's seat, his eyes briefly meeting Kailey's with a look that promised a lecture was coming.

When they reached home, Kailey got out with measured calm.

No sooner had they stepped inside than Ryan rounded on her, his tone sharp. "Kailey, how many times have I told you-if you have a problem, say it to my face. What was that attitude in the car just now?"

"What attitude?" Kailey met his gaze, steady and unblinking. "I wasn't laughing at her."

"Then what was so funny?"

"I..." She hesitated. There was no way she could admit she'd been smiling at Kyson's playful message about having a baby. If Ryan heard that, he'd never let it go.

Her silence only made his expression colder. "Since you won't say it, let me be clear-I am your uncle, Kailey, and that's all I will ever be to you. Understand?"

She'd heard these words before, but each time still left a dull ache. This time, though, it barely stung-just left her numb.

Looking him straight in the eye, she answered with a cool detachment, "Don't worry. I know exactly where I stand, and I'll never step out of line again."