Chapter 4
The arrival hall at JFK was packed with people, and my hands were sweating as I stared at the exit. Last night's broken phone call from Mom kept replaying in my head like a nightmare.
"Are you sure you don't need me to leave?" Ryan stood beside me, looking worried at my pale face.
"No, I need you here." I gripped his hand tightly. "Whatever happens, I need you."
Something complex flickered in Ryan's eyes before he gently squeezed my hand back.
When my parents emerged from the crowd, I almost didn't recognize them. Dad, usually so energetic, now had slumped shoulders and a wrinkled suit, his eyes filled with exhaustion. Mom's eyes were red and swollen—she'd obviously been crying for hours.
"Dad! Mom!" I rushed to hug them.
"Ava..." Dad's voice was hoarse. "We're finished. Completely finished."
"Ava, we're looking at bankruptcy within 60 days. Twenty years of work, gone."
"What happened?" I helped steady Mom, feeling her trembling.
Mom choked out: "The lawyers say we might lose the house, everything."
I felt the world spinning. Ryan immediately stepped forward to support me, while observing my parents with unusual intensity. I noticed Ryan discreetly pulling out his phone, seemingly recording key information.
"There has to be something we can do. Some way to get bridge financing." I forced myself to stay calm.
Ryan suddenly spoke up: "I'm sorry to intrude, but what exactly triggered this crisis?"
Dad looked puzzled at this plainly dressed young man: "You are...?"
"Ryan, my..." I hesitated, "boyfriend."
Back at my apartment, financial documents covered the coffee table. The 2 PM sunlight streamed through the windows, but the atmosphere in the room was dark as storm clouds.
"It's too coordinated to be coincidence. Someone wanted us vulnerable." Dad pointed at the documents. "Three major clients cancelled contracts simultaneously, the bank suddenly recalled our credit line, suppliers all demanding advance payments..."
Ryan listened intently.
Mom said tremblingly: "This law firm called yesterday. Said they represent interested investors."
"What kind of investors? What do they want in return?" My heart rate accelerated.
"They want to meet with you specifically. Said it's about 'strategic partnership.'" Mom's voice was barely a whisper.
I felt dizzy. Why would investors specifically want to meet me?
"I'll go buy some food," Ryan suddenly stood up. "You all need to keep your strength up."
I nodded, watching Ryan leave. A few minutes later, I glanced out the window and was shocked to see Ryan downstairs on the phone, gesturing intensely with a serious expression—nothing like someone ordering food.
An ominous feeling crept into my heart.
At 7 PM, Grind & Bloom was closed. In the back kitchen, just Ryan and me, I was worrying about my family's crisis.
"Ava, I have an idea." Ryan mysteriously pulled out a bank envelope from his jacket.
"I know this sounds crazy, but I have some money saved up. Take it."
I opened the envelope to reveal a bank card inside.
Ryan's expression became unnatural: "It's what I've saved over the years... money I found, gifts from kind people..."
"Stop lying!" I interrupted him.
Ryan continued, "Your family's supplier contracts were terminated simultaneously. That suggests corporate sabotage."
"How could you possibly know about supplier contracts? Who ARE you?" My voice was shaking.
Ryan opened his mouth to explain, but his phone rang, saving him. He hurriedly answered and walked to a corner.
My blood ran cold. Who was this man I'd fallen in love with?
At 9:15 PM, I'd just gotten home when I received a formal business call.
"Ms. Grayson, we understand your family business faces certain... challenges." A steady male voice on the phone.
My heart raced: "Who is this?"
"Montgomery & Sons Investment Bank. We're willing to help."
I asked, "How did you know about our situation? We haven't made this public."
"Let's just say we keep track of promising opportunities. Are you available tomorrow?"
I looked toward the kitchen where Ryan was "washing dishes," but I noticed his body had obviously tensed.
"Tomorrow afternoon works."
The moment I hung up, the sound of breaking dishes came from the kitchen.
"Shit... not now..." Ryan's low curse came through clearly.
Was there a connection between Montgomery & Sons Investment Bank and Ryan Montgomery?
Later, Ryan was showering while I helped organize his clothes.
When I picked up Ryan's jacket, several cards fell out.
The first was a Montgomery & Sons premium membership card, gold-trimmed, clearly printed with "R. Montgomery."
The second was a black card membership to the high-end restaurant Le Bernardin.
The third was a private bank's platinum credit card.
All bore the name "R. Montgomery."
My hands were shaking.
R. Montgomery... Ryan Montgomery... Oh my God.
"Is this all a setup? Is my family's crisis somehow connected to him?"
"Ava? Is everything okay out there?" Ryan called from the bathroom.
I hurriedly stuffed the cards back into his pocket: "Everything's fine! Just... organizing some things."
But my world had completely shattered.
The man I loved deeply, the homeless drifter, the man who needed my help learning how to use the washing machine, the "clumsy" newcomer at the coffee shop...
Was actually a member of the Montgomery family?
And Montgomery & Sons was the very investment bank that had contacted me today.
The betrayal cut deeper than any physical pain. Every gentle moment, every sweet kiss, every time he'd held me close—had it all been an elaborate lie?
At 11:45 PM, I lay in bed with my eyes wide open, listening to Ryan's breathing from the living room sofa.
My mind raced, recalling all the anomalies from these past days: Ryan's business knowledge, those "found" expensive items, the mysterious funds, and his professional understanding of my family's crisis...
If he's really a Montgomery, why the charade? What did he want from me?
Even more terrifying—if Ryan really was part of the Montgomery family, could they have orchestrated my family's crisis?
And I, like a complete fool, had fallen in love with the enemy?