CHAPTER 136: CHAPTER 136 A PRESS CONFERENCE2

Serena’s POV

Then he continued, his admission sending an immediate ripple through the crowd. "Sophie Hart and I did have a relationship,but that was in the past."

The room erupted in a cacophony of voices and camera clicks. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

Great. Now he was confirming the photos were real, which only made me wonder again why he’d looked at her that way—with an intensity he’d never shown me during our marriage.

"Mr. Blackwood, you’ve never publicly acknowledged your girlfriends before. Was Sophie special to you?" a reporter shouted.

Another called out, "Was your relationship destroyed by a third party like the rumors suggest?"

"Mr. Blackwood, why did you break up?"

I shot Ryan a venomous glare as the questions grew increasingly personal. My head was pounding from the noise and the lights and the absolute absurdity of this situation. He caught my glare and calmly tapped the table, commanding silence again.

"Please allow me to finish before asking questions," he said, somehow managing to quiet the room with just those few words. God, how did he do that? The power this man wielded was infuriating.

And then, without warning, he dropped the bomb.

"Serena and I were legally married three years ago. Here’s our marriage certificate."

My jaw literally dropped as he pulled our marriage certificate from his pocket. What the actual fuck? I’d thrown mine away the day we divorced—why the hell was he still carrying it around?

"Our marriage lasted three years," Ryan continued while I sat there in shock. "During that time, Serena sacrificed a great deal for me, but I failed to appreciate what we had."

He sighed, pulling out another document—our divorce papers—and placing them next to the marriage certificate. My eyes fixated on those papers, remembering how I’d felt that day, signing away what I thought would be my forever.

"It wasn’t until I lost her that I understood what our marriage truly meant to me," he said, his voice softening just enough for me to notice. "I’ve been trying to win her back ever since."

I sat frozen, my emotions a tangled mess inside me. Was he really saying these things? In front of all these people?

The same man who’d barely acknowledged my existence during our marriage was now declaring he wanted me back?

And yet... despite everything—despite the hurt, the years of silence, the way he used to shut me out—my heart gave the smallest, most infuriating flutter.

I hated that it meant something to me.

But it did.

Hearing those words... it made me happy. Quietly. Deeply. Stupidly.

The room erupted again, journalists scrambling to get closer looks at the documents, shouting questions over each other. The dates and official stamps were clearly visible—undeniable proof that contradicted all the homewrecker narratives.

"Mr. Blackwood, please confirm—was Ms. Quinn really not the other woman?" someone yelled above the noise.

Ryan’s expression hardened instantly. "Absolutely not. Serena has never been ’the other woman.’ She has never destroyed any relationship. What happened between Sophie and me had nothing to do with her. I want that perfectly clear."

His voice had taken on an icy edge that made even me shiver slightly. I’d rarely seen this side of him during our marriage—this fiercely protective stance.

"This press conference was called to correct the false narrative surrounding Serena and our relationship. For those responsible for spreading these lies, Blackwood Enterprises will pursue legal action. This matter will not be dismissed."

His cold gaze swept across the room, effectively silencing any remaining murmurs. I breathed a small sigh of relief. At least the homewrecker accusations would die down now.

Then Ryan reached for my hand, his fingers warm against my skin. When he smiled at me—a real, genuine smile that reached his eyes—I felt my traitor heart skip a beat.

"Today, besides clearing up these rumors, I also want to do something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time."

I froze, a sense of foreboding washing over me. No... he wouldn’t. Not here. Not now.

The lights suddenly dimmed, leaving just one spotlight shining down on us. Ryan pulled a small box from his pocket and dropped to one knee in front of me.

Camera shutters clicked frantically around us. Whispers filled the darkened room.

"No way... is he using a press conference to propose?"

"I bet this whole scandal was just his ex trying to get attention."

"If they really loved each other, why’d they divorce in the first place?"

"Didn’t you hear him? He said he didn’t appreciate her until she was gone."

I leaned forward, panic rising in my chest, and whispered urgently, "What are you doing? Get up!"

Ryan shook his head, his expression more determined than I’d ever seen it. He opened the small velvet box, revealing a diamond ring that caught the spotlight and scattered brilliant fragments of light across the room. Gasps rippled through the crowd.

I stared at him wide-eyed, blinking in disbelief. Was he seriously proposing? Here? Now? In front of all these people? My mind raced frantically. If I rejected him, it would be front-page news tomorrow. But I wasn’t ready to say yes either. What was I supposed to do?

My heart pounded so loudly I was sure the microphones could pick it up.