Buried Love Series Ashes of Regret (Sophia and Ryan)
Regret 10

BOOK1 Chapter10

Ryan sat in stunned silence as the police arrived, still seemingly lost in his grief. He held my mud-caked, blood stained body close, oblivious to the filth. "Sophia... How could this happen? I told them to just scare you, not... not hurt you. How could you be dead?" His tears fell on my lifeless hand.

Despite his performance, the police took him and Linda away. They uncovered evidence, thanks to Ethan's connections, that led them to the men Linda had hired to bury me, and the thugs who had tortured me in the basement. They were all arrested. Facing serious charges, they confessed everything, eager to make a deal.

"It was Linda! She paid us to make sure that woman didn't make it out of the

basement alive! She said if that woman lived, we'd all be dead!"

Linda was sentenced to death. Ryan, due to lack of sufficient evidence directly linking

him to the murder, was released.

Facing her imminent demise, Linda pleaded with Ryan, begging him to save her. "Ryan, please! I'm innocent! You have to help me! We were going to be married! I'm going to be your wife! You can't let me die!"

Ryan stared at her with cold, hard eyes. As she reached for him, he kicked her away.

Linda landed on the floor, her face contorted in desperation.

"Ryan, you really think I'm the only one responsible for Sophia's death? You're the one who locked her in the basement without even listening to her! You never trusted her, you never cared about her! That's what gave me the opportunity! Ryan, you killed Sophia! You did!" Ryan screamed, his voice raw with pain and denial. "Shut up! Shut up!"

Buried Love Series Ashes of Regnet

BOOKI Chapter 10

Linda was dragged away, her laughter echoing in the halls of the courthouse. Ryan

was a broken man.

Ever since he learned of my death, he had been consumed by guilt. He remembered the small acts of love I had shown him over the years. His suits, always perfectly pressed. The antacids I always kept within reach, knowing his sensitive stomach.

But I was gone. And so were those traces of my existence.

He frantically searched the house, digging through the trash, trying to find remnants of my life, of me. But it was all gone. He searched for my body, but it was gone too.

Within weeks, Ryan lost everything. His company went bankrupt. He became a pariah, scorned and ridiculed for his role in my death.

He was a shell of his former self, his mind unraveling. He wandered the streets,

approaching young women, falling to his knees, begging their forgiveness.

"Honey, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!"

"Sophia, I know it's you! Please, don't be angry anymore!"

"Come home, baby. Let's go

home."

But no one listened. Some even kicked and spat on him.

The last time Ethan saw Ryan, he was begging for spare change on a busy street corner.

It was a sunny day. Ethan had visited my grave, leaving flowers and a small toy for our unborn son.

"Sophia, I'm so sorry I didn't protect you. In the next life, you and our baby will be happy. You won't waste your love on someone who doesn't deserve it. You will live for yourself." I stood by my tombstone, reaching out to embrace my brother. He seemed to sense my presence, tears streaming down his face.

BOOK! chapter 10

I waved goodbye. Goodbye, brother.

In the next life, I want to be your sister again. I'll listen to you. I'll protect my heart.

And I will never love someone like Ryan ever again.