The Day He Knelt, I Married a Don Novel

---- Chapter 22 Ryan stared at the photo in his hands, his eyes fixed on Tessa, who was smiling brightly, radiating a sense of grace and happiness. It looked like her, but it didn't feel like her. He was lost in the image for a long time, realizing just how long it had been since he last saw her smile. His gaze then shifted to the man in the background. His expression darkened and tensed, and Ryan couldn't help but feel that Tessa had been happy during this time- her joy, clearly, came from the man in the photo. Asurge of anger flared within him, but there was nothing he could do.

He asked Nick for the exact location of the cruise. Even though he knew Tessa was doing well, he couldn't stop himself from wanting to meet her. He wanted to bring her back. As soon as he received the information, Audrey unexpectedly called to check in. In his rush, Ryan blurted out that he was about to go ---- abroad to find Tessa. When Audrey heard that Tessa was in Naples, her excitement nearly brought her to tears.

"Wait for me for ten minutes, I'm coming too!" Without a second thought, Audrey packed nothing but her passport and credit card, quickly booking a flight to Naples, her heart racing with the hope of seeing her daughter again. The flight was quiet, with only Ryan sitting beside her. Their occasional fidgeting revealed their shared nervousness. How could they not be nervous? They were about to face the people they had once hurt. Ryan stared out the window, still unable to believe that Tessa had gone to Naples alone.

He remembered how often Tessa had mentioned wanting to visit the city, but each time, Ryan had brushed it off lightly. When they arrived in Naples, they didn't even have time to drop off their luggage. They headed straight for the location Nick had sent them. But when they arrived, there was nothing. ---- They asked around and soon learned that the ships had just left. "You must be talking about those two huge cruise ships? They were magnificent!" It felt like fate, like it was destined that they wouldn't see Tessa today. But Ryan wasn't going to let this opportunity slip away.

Every time he thought of Tessa with another man, his heart would ache, and his wolf would howl in anguish. They followed the flow of the river through Naples and, after searching, finally found what they were looking for. There, before them, stood the enormous cruise ship. Neither of them had expected Tessa to leave on a cruise. Their eyes immediately found her-Tessa, dressed casually in a sundress, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers. She was sitting at a table, quietly enjoying dinner, her face lit up with an expression of joy they had never seen before.

Audrey and Ryan stood frozen, rooted to the spot. At her table sat Aaron and Scarlett. ---- The scene before them was like a happy family, sharing laughter and conversation-a kind of happiness Tessa had never had with them. It was a jarring sight, one that pierced their hearts. Tessa had never smiled like that when she was with them. Audrey's body trembled uncontrollably as she pointed at the table, her finger shaking as she looked at Ryan. "What is this?" How could they know that this was Tessa's new family? She had left her mother and her former mate behind.

Audrey pressed a hand to her mouth, watching Tessa's warmth toward the middle-aged woman, feeling a pang of jealousy and sorrow. Despite everything, her emotions still surged uncontrollably. Ryan remained silent, lost in his thoughts, and no one could tell what was going through his mind. "Tessa! Look who's here!" In a fit of anger, he stormed toward the table, ready to shatter the peaceful moment, feeling like an intruder in their quiet world. ---- Audrey followed behind, her heart racing as they reached Tessa. When their eyes met, Tessa's smile froze on her face.

It was as if she had expected this moment to come. "What are you two doing here?"