---- gave a small wave of his hand. The guards immediately began to drag August out. Struggling against them, August thrashed and shouted furiously, "You really think Sophia loves you? You're nothing but a substitute! I'm the one she truly wanted. You're just the loser she settled for..." Before he could finish his sentence, one of the guards knocked him out. He had always known about my past with August. Even though we had been together for years, he still couldn't shake his insecurity. He was always afraid I'd leave him one day, and my love wasn't genuine. That fear never truly left him. Looking at Ryder's silent figure now, I felt a sharp ache in my chest. He was such a proud werewolf, but a few wild words from August made him doubt. This only proved that he loved me too much. At that moment, I genuinely wished August would die. ---- Having him share the same space was a waste. After we visited my parents and returned home from the Aurelis pack, I found myself staring blankly at the wedding photo on the wall. In the picture, Ryder was looking at me with nothing but deep affection in his eyes, while my expression remained calm and distant. Thad to admit that when I agreed to form a mate bond with him, it truly had been a moment of impulsiveness. But after all these years together, after everything he had done for me with such care and tenderness, my heart had long since begun to change. I lightly traced Ryder's features in the photo with my fingers and then noticed something peeking out from behind the frame. I removed the wedding photo from the wall and uncovered a hidden secret. Behind the large frame were countless photos of me. I couldn't help but ponder whether Ryder had fallen for me long before I first met him. Some of the earliest pictures were from my high ---- school years, before I met August. As I examined the images, I was shocked and amazed to realize he had been watching over me for decades. My heart began to pound wildly. Ryder returned from a business meeting and found me quietly sitting on the couch, surrounded by dozens of my photos. His long-hidden secret was exposed. He was stunned. He walked up to me nervously, like a pup caught doing something wrong, and said softly, " Honey, you found..." He didn't dare meet my eyes. He knew better than anyone that what I hated most was being lied to. I felt playful and hid the smile tugging at the corners of my mouth, deciding to tease him a little. "Tf you liked me for so long, why didn't you chase me earlier? Who knows? I might have fallen for you back then, and we wouldn't have missed all those years. "Tf I had been in love with you from the start, I couldn't imagine how happy I would've been. You