“He said he loved me.”
“Of course he loved you.”
“Then why did you tell me he abandoned me?”
Patricia pressed her lips together.
“He left us, Ryan. I was the one who stayed.”
“You told me Elaine abandoned me, too.”
“She was interfering.”
“She was taking care of me!”
Patricia flinched.
Ryan stepped closer.
“You told her I didn’t want to see her. You told me she didn’t want to see me. You kept her letters. You hid my father’s letters. And today, you tried to buy my fiancée.”
“I was protecting you!”
“From what?”
Patricia began to cry.
“From losing you.”
Ryan stared at her.
“You were so afraid of losing me that you made sure I lost everyone else.”
She shook her head.
“I raised you alone. I gave up everything.”
“And I will always be grateful for what you did for me. But that doesn’t mean you own me.”
