My Bossy CEO Husband

"Yes."Wendy nodded, not noticing the change of Ryan's expression.

"I lived there for almost five years.My mother died when I was six.Ruben made sure to sell everything my mother had left us, everything she had inherited from her father.He took the money for himself.He sent Reese and me to our grandmother in Spring County, as he had no intention of taking care of us himself."

Wendy wrapped her arms around her knees in an attempt to protect herself from all those painful memories.

"Ruben truly is a bastard! He had never mentioned grandma before he sent us there.We had thought that she was dead.We didn't even know what she looked like.When she came to pick us up from the station, we didn't know what to expect.Would she be kind to us? But it turned out we were really lucky.Grandma was the best, sweet and affectionate she cared about me and Reese very much.She would always cook us our favorite meals, even when money were tight.Sometimes she could afford just enough for us children and she didn't eat at all herself." Ryan listened intently.

Wendy suddenly looked up and turned to face him.

"You've heard of Spring County, right? It's not that big, but its population is pretty high.But all the young, able men left to find work, so those that stayed behind are either old or women and children.But people there are always kind, helping and caring for each other.When someone cooks, it's not unusual to share it with their neighbors.It's so peaceful there."

Ryan couldn't help but smile at that.

"I remember there was a huge orchard.Reese, grandma and I helped the owner with the harvest every year.The money may have not been much, but we got a bag of apples on our days off.So, apples were the fruit we ate the most as children."

Ryan thought back to how skillfully she had peeled an apple for him back in the hospital.

"The years I spent in Spring County were the best of my life.Carefree and full of love.But then my grandmother passed away.I was eleven."

Ryan took her hand and squeezed it.

her to know that he was there

forgotten all about me and my sister.It's not like we missed him, though.Our friends and neighbors helped us with Grandma's funeral.Reese was seventeen then, so we came up with a plan.She would find work in another city, just like most people from

and your sister came back to

didn't want to raise us up.At some point though, he had to come to our village.A good look at Reese and he suddenly changed his mind, agreeing to take us with him." Wendy

out the truth.Later I realized that it was not the case at all.After we returned to Ywood, he registered for school for me, but did not registered for my sister.He said that he was doing business now.My sister had grown up, so he wanted my sister to help him with his business.That's why he did not registered for school for my sister.But Reese bought it.What she didn't expect, though, was that he had dressed her up like a doll and put on display in order to find the highest bidder.Not long after that, Ruben had her married off to

while, looking

poured a glass of red wine

"Then what happened?"

my well being to do his bidding.If I did, I would have given up everything and

hurriedly told her, "Hey, there.Go easy on the wine.This

"Noted!"

glass back on the table and sighed before

wasn't that bad back then.I was happy.And then, when I was

some more wine, froze at the spot.Luke's investigation had revealed that at the

most important man?' He grumbled to

grip on the glass was vice-like and he was

still in high school and he was in college.We met when he gave a speech as one of the high school's alumni.Every girl saw him as a true prince charming.He was

in the room was

in her memories, Wendy didn't