During his car ride, Ryan read the live news online and saw Ralph carrying a girl out of the school building.
Even though the girl's face was covered, he recognized the body frame to be Carrie's.
Ryan knew that Ralph was interested in Carrie, so he thought that Ralph had an ulterior motive to carry Carrie in his arms.
Carrie was Ryan's life and everything.
He could not put up with anybody getting close to her.
"I represent the cops. Is there a difference?" Ralph smirked composedly.
Ralph stood up against the Hoffman Group's employees on his own. Still, he persevered in the face of adversity.
Gritting his teeth, Ryan inched closer to Ralph. "Carrie is the love of my life. How could you keep this from me when her life hung
in the balance? I couldn't be there for her. What was your intention? Must I rip off your façade for you to be real with me?"
"Are you silly or naïve, Ryan? Even if you have never been held hostage, you've watched movies with the same theme."
Ralph slipped his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket and scoffed with narrowed eyes. "So what if you were there? What
could you have done?
"You would order your men to surround the perpetrator and tell him that the hostage was your woman. You'll probably threaten to
bankrupt him for laying a finger on Carrie."
Ryan saw red. "Ralph!"
The Thompsons were sharp-tongued.
"It's not a matter of trust that I didn't inform you, Ryan. I need to eliminate all risks to save the hostage. I didn't keep things from
you because Carrie is your girlfriend. I would do the same to anyone else in that position.
"I've encountered the meanest, vilest criminals in my career on the force. They would die when pushed to the edge. The same
goes for the man who held Carrie hostage. It was a dangerous mission to save Carrie."
Ryan was too angry to listen to reason. "Are you trying to get me to thank you?”
"No need for that. I live to serve the people."
Ralph waved his arm. "I don't want to argue with you. I'm tired. You must be tired, too. Save your energy to take care of Carrie.
And one more thing. Ms. Yasmin was loyal to you, rain or shine. She had it tough. You can blame the whole thing on me, but
keep her out of it."
Standing in a corner with slumped shoulders, Yasmin felt a lump in her throat.
She had been with Ryan for more than a decade. She took all the hardships that came her way. Many times, she even forgot she
was a woman.
Yet now, she has never felt so hurt before.
However, she quickly suppressed her emotions. Hurt was not the feeling she should have while working for Ryan.
Ralph walked straight ahead.
"Mr. Ralph thought you'd at least compete fair and square. Don't use your looks and your job as excuses to get close to Carrie.
That's cheap." Ryan's eyes were piercingly malicious.
If Ralph was not Bella's brother, Ryan would have pulled a punch to Ralph's face.
Ryan blamed himself not for being for Carrie when she was hurt, but Ralph’s words only added salt to his injury.
"Ha. I used to think that you're doing Justin a favor by staying friends with him."
Ralph stopped, his tone sarcastic. "Now it looks like Justin is just putting up with you."
He hummed a tune and walked off.
The Hoffman Group's employees kept quiet, shocked by Ralph's attitude.
A storm brewed within Ryan's bloodshot eyes.
The door to the emergency room swung open.
Ryan looked back in shock.
Carrie stood there, her frame fragile.
She stared at Ryan with furrowed brows, and her resentful gaze burned Ryan.
"Ryan, why must you say that to Ralph? He saved my life."