Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 241: Taylor: Am I the Clown?]

The next morning, Ryan finished his breakfast and kissed Taylor goodbye before heading to Bad Room to work. Taylor was home alone and found herself tossing and turning, so she decided to call Abigail.

"Hey, where are you? It's foggy in Florida today; is your flight okay?" Taylor asked, thinking that if the flight couldn't land, maybe Abigail wouldn't have to come after all.

"It's foggy? Yeah, I'm at the airport in Kansas, and my flight is indeed delayed," Abigail's voice came through, sounding quite noisy in the background.

"Great! If you can't make it today, we can always do it another time," Taylor replied with a smile.

"Another time? No way! You've put up with so much; I'm calling a car and driving on the highway, and I'll be there today!" Abigail quickly turned the conversation.

"That's too expensive! What if..."

"Too expensive? Compared to the college tuition you helped me pay? Please! Now, don't argue; just wait for me," Abigail said and hung up the phone.

Taylor sighed with relief and ran her fingers through her hair, scratching her head, genuinely unsure of what to do next.

...

She waited anxiously at home all day. By four in the afternoon, Abigail managed to fly to Ryan and Taylor's home.

"Impressive place," Abigail remarked as she walked in, surprised by the spacious living room that was even wider than her college dorm hallway.

"I've been wanting you to come over," Taylor said, embracing Abigail.

"This house must have cost quite a bit, huh?" Abigail recalled Taylor mentioning the house in their previous conversations.

"Yeah, I put Ryan's name on the loan for convenience," Taylor replied.

"Loan convenience?" Abigail turned sharply, "You didn't tell me that before; you should keep proof of the payments."

She had even started to consider how the property would be divided if Taylor and Ryan ever broke up.

"That was a long time ago; let's not get into that now," Taylor quickly interrupted.

"So what's going on with you and Ryan?" Abigail asked, taking a seat immediately.

"Actually, he's pretty great," Taylor thought for a moment, feeling hesitant, "Abigail, what if we wait until he actually cheats before we take action?"

"Of course, once he's caught red-handed, the public will be on our side. For now, we need to remain cautious and see how things unfold," Abigail nodded, "Right now, it's useless to speculate."

Taylor felt a bit relieved; after all, there was no need to get overly tense when she didn't even know what to do.

Then Abigail said, "I'm going to put on some makeup first; I brought my hottest outfit. Tonight, we're having drinks, and just watch me, I'll definitely win Ryan over!"

Taylor, just having relaxed, felt her heart tighten again, "Win him over? You plan on winning him over?!"

"Why not? Don't you want him to be caught red-handed?" Abigail appeared puzzled.

"I meant... just help me brainstorm ideas," Taylor sighed, feeling like things were spiraling out of control.

"Okay, I get it; I know this isn't easy for you. But let's face it, the sooner you see through his true colors, the better for you," Abigail reassured her from Taylor's perspective.

"But..." Taylor suddenly recalled Ryan being intimate with Abigail; could he really still have feelings for her?

"Ryan should be back soon; I'll go change," Abigail stood up decisively.

"I'll come with you," Taylor replied, getting up immediately.

...

The two of them got ready, then fell into the wait, which lasted a solid six or seven hours until Ryan finally returned home in the early hours.

"Abigail! Long time no see," Ryan greeted as he walked in and spotted Abigail on her feet to welcome him. She wore a shiny silver mini dress that barely reached a few inches from her thighs; a look many women wore when they were out at nightclubs.

"Do you usually wear stuff like this?" Ryan teased on purpose.

"Not really, I just thought I'd dress a little sexy since it's been a while since we've seen each other," Abigail replied with a slight teasing laugh.

This undoubtedly confirmed Ryan's suspicion; given Taylor's words from the previous night, Abigail had indeed come over to test him.

My foolish girlfriend... 

Ryan planned to teach Taylor a lesson this time so that she wouldn't bother him with these nonsense again. He remained calm and prepared to understand whether Taylor was completely in charge of the situation or if she was influenced by Abigail.

"How did you get here?" Ryan asked as he changed his shoes.

"Of course, I flew in," Abigail replied.

"The flight today?"

"Today at noon."

In other words, she took the quickest flight available; her actions were pretty quick.

"Have you two eaten?" Ryan asked.

"Not yet, I've been waiting for you," Taylor replied as she finally stood up.

"Then let's eat together," Ryan said, walking toward the dining room.

Taylor and Abigail exchanged glances and then followed Ryan into the dining room.

...

"Wow, Ryan, your house is really big; how much did it cost?" Abigail asked as soon as she sat down.

"Not much, just over 10 million."

"You and Taylor didn't have much money at that time, right? Did you pool your money together to buy it?" Abigail pressed on in a roundabout way.

Ryan immediately shot a glance at Taylor at those words.

"I can pay back Taylor that part of the money, and I'll also factor in the appreciation," Ryan replied with a smile.

"Abigail didn't mean that. In fact, Ryan paid most of the money for the house, and he has been paying the mortgage!" Taylor quickly clarified for Ryan.

Suddenly, Abigail began to feel flustered and laughed nervously, "I was just asking; don't take it to heart."

"It's fine; it's good to sort the accounts clearly. Although I live with Taylor, we aren't married yet, so it's best to clear things up to prevent any misunderstandings," Ryan said as he put down his fork.

"No... Ryan hasn't taken advantage of me! He pays for most things; I just bought some furniture!" Taylor shook her head quickly.

Now, Abigail realized she couldn't find fault in Ryan regarding this issue and effortlessly switched topics.

"Ryan, Taylor's album is doing really well; I remember you're connected to T&R Records. Isn't it under your management?"

"Are you implying I'm exploiting Taylor for profit? Is that what you mean?" Ryan said calmly, showing no signs of anger.

"That was your own admission; I never said that... Why are you kicking me?" Abigail replied, rolling her eyes before suddenly turning to Taylor.

"You're Taylor's best friend, so I'll share some insider information. I bought this company with my own money; Scott didn't give me a discount because of my relationship with Taylor. In fact, because of my connection with Taylor, I faced quite an obstacle during the acquisition."

"Where did you get that money?" Abigail immediately inquired.

"I made it through investments; I made quite a fortune by shorting the housing market. Got any other questions?" Ryan took a sip of his vegetable juice.

"I..." Abigail glanced at Taylor, seemingly seeking affirmation.

Seeing that Taylor did not deny it, she confirmed the truth.

She previously thought the acquisition was boosted by Taylor; now, she realized it was entirely Ryan's own doing. Moreover, it turned out Ryan was looking after Taylor as well.

It would be more accurate to say that Taylor took advantage of Ryan rather than Ryan taking advantage of Taylor.

"I might have misunderstood a bit," Abigail chuckled, then shot Taylor an accusatory glance, wondering why she hadn't cleared things up earlier.

Taylor felt wronged, having never claimed Ryan was exploiting her; it was Abigail who had misinterpreted everything.

"You probably don't know some facts, like the 13 Entertainment Company established by Taylor and her parents, which is specifically responsible for managing her tours. The profits from those go to Taylor as well."

"She should get that." Abigail nodded.

"Then ask Taylor now; without me, would she even be able to go on her tour?" Ryan asked.

"You helping her is just the right thing to do; after all, you're her fiance," Abigail casually replied.

"Only now do you remember I'm her fiance?" Ryan laughed, "When you were calculating the expenses for her, why didn't you remember I'm her fiance then?"

"I..." Abigail was completely at a loss for words now.

"I understand you want to support your friend; I can appreciate that. Taylor has helped you. You're saying those words from a place of loyalty, but before you make trouble for Taylor, it's best to know the situation. It's okay for you to say this to me; but saying that to others only makes it look like your friend is not worth much," Ryan said bluntly, giving no regard for Abigail's feelings.

Abigail could only respond with an awkward smile now.

Taylor, who was standing by, gave her best friend a way out, "Alright, let's move past this. Abigail doesn't quite understand everything, and now she knows Ryan is the best person for me in the world."

""Yes, Taylor is right. I don't understand anything. Ryan, I apologize to you," Abigail said without hesitation, admitting the mistake. She stood up, raising her glass, and Taylor quickly handed her a cup.

Without even looking, Abigail gulped down a significant amount, only to immediately spit it out, her expression showing more distress than if she had eaten spoiled fish.

"What kind of drink is this? It's so bitter!" Abigail exclaimed, sticking her tongue out.

She had accidentally drunk from Ryan's cup, which truly tasted terrible.

Taylor tasted it too and immediately spat it out, unable to bear the flavor.

Seeing Ryan drink it without batting an eye, she had thought it might taste decent.

"Alright, sit down. After all, you and I had something together; you were my first girlfriend," Ryan said, smiling again.

"Right, Abigail was your first girlfriend," Taylor added, repeatedly nodding, thinking that Ryan would let Abigail go because of their old relationship; otherwise, she wouldn't allow him to contact Abigail again.

"Yeah, if you hadn't told me, I would have almost forgotten. On my birthday, I had a fight with Taylor because of you!" Abigail laughed as she sat down.

"Forgot to mention, back then, Taylor and I were already a couple... You didn't just find this out, did you?" Ryan pretended to act as if he had said something wrong.

"This..." Abigail's expression faltered, and she turned to Taylor, slowly speaking, "This is the first time I'm hearing about it."

"That's all in the past, just old news," Taylor smiled immediately, ready to brush it off.

Since she brought Abigail to confront him, it was now Ryan's turn to retaliate.

Ryan seemed to thrive on the drama, "Honestly, I liked you back then; this matter distressed me for quite some time, but in the end, I chose your best friend."

This statement lit a fire in Abigail's memory.

In many ways, if it hadn't been for Taylor's intervention, she might have been the one accepting a proposal instead!

"That's wonderful! Taylor, congratulations on finding a good man," Abigail raised her glass, "Darling, I toast to you!"

"My relationship with Ryan involves you, too," Taylor chuckled, suddenly realizing that bringing Abigail over had been a monumental mistake; she was caught in a dilemma, struggling to be decisive and regretting inviting her.

"Don't say that," Abigail quickly drained her drink and slammed the cup on the table, a hint of anger in her demeanor.

"I'm full; I'm heading back to my room to rest." Abigail rose abruptly, having lost her appetite.

"Come on; I wanted to catch up with you," Ryan said, standing up and walking toward Abigail.

"What's there to catch up on?" Abigail replied with a grin that didn't reach her eyes, feeling trapped but only able to tearfully wish Taylor happiness.

"There's so much to talk about! Where's your boyfriend? Why didn't you bring him along to let me see?" Ryan asked with a grin.

This was just the beginning; the real show was yet to come.

"What's so good about them? No one is as good as you after all the searching," Abigail shook her head, not being sarcastic, but simply stating the truth. From looks to career achievements, there were very few men of Ryan's age who could compare to him in the entire University of Kansas, or even in the entire United States.

"Come walk with me." Ryan saw the moment was right and said directly to Abigail.

"You want me to walk with you?" Abigail's eyes widened, glancing back at Taylor, who was shaking her head at her vigorously.

"You scared?"

"I'm not scared of anything!" Abigail stood tall, then shifted her tone, "I'm just worried about Taylor getting upset."

"Taylor can handle this," Ryan said firmly.

"Then let's go," Abigail shrugged her shoulders.

...

As the door closed behind them, Taylor anxiously paced around the living room, unable to imagine what the two would be saying while out walking.

She collapsed wearily onto the sofa... she had to admit it to herself, if she put on a red nose, she would actually be the clown!

However, this time Taylor didn't have to wait long; they returned swiftly.

"I'm going to my room to rest, so I won't disturb you two," Abigail chirped as she beamed at Taylor.

What made her so happy? What did Ryan say to her? A series of question marks flashed in Taylor's mind.

...

Suppressing her curiosity, Taylor returned with Ryan to their room and began to act particularly obedient; she proactively draped a bathrobe over Ryan.

"Honey, I'm sorry. I was wrong this time. I just wanted Abigail to test you; I never imagined it would turn out like this," Taylor confessed, lowering her head.

"You let outside gossip get to you; I don't care about these things," Ryan nodded.

"I swear, from now on, I won't let what others say get to me," Taylor said, shaking her head, almost in tears.

"By the way, guess who called me today? You'd never guess. Here's a hint: a female superstar." Ryan suddenly remembered something.

Sure enough, Taylor guessed seven or eight names without arriving at the final answer.

"It was Beyonce," Ryan announced.

To be honest, Beyonce had no real connection with Taylor, though years later, Taylor would personally award Beyonce at the Grammy Awards.

"Why did she contact you?" Taylor couldn't figure it out.

"Just about the music festival; she's Jay-Z's wife, and Rihanna is like a mentee of his. I was looking to get Rihanna to perform, but the two of them came together with demands. As part of the deal, Beyonce needed to be the finale, and I'm inclined to accept this condition. So, darling, you won't be the finale anymore," Ryan shared his plan.

"Not being the finale is fine, I guess," Taylor felt a twinge of disappointment; after all, Ryan had initially decided to let her be the one.

She'd regard this as punishment... Taylor sighed inwardly, now full of remorse.

After showering, Ryan unusually behaved, refraining from teasing Taylor.

...

Taylor felt an urgent need; she leaned against Ryan from behind and grabbed him, playfully launching a sneak attack on him.

"Aren't you feeling unwell? Why don't we skip tonight?" Ryan countered.

"I'm not unwell at all," Taylor flashed her pearly teeth, playfully nibbling on Ryan's shoulder and arm.

She believed a little affection and some light teasing would turn Ryan around; little did she know he was as unyielding as a rock, unaffected by her antics.

"Darling... look at me," Taylor was nearly sprawled against him.

"I'm feeling a bit tired," Ryan didn't even glance back.

You spent in the office all day! What's tiring about that!

Taylor huffed in frustration, flipping onto her side with her back to Ryan. Oddly enough, even after doing so, Ryan didn't come to comfort her.

Taylor tossed and turned on the bed, feeling restless, scratching and fidgeting, unable to find comfort.

Minutes later, she couldn't contain herself any longer, "What did you and Abigail talk about when you went out?"

"Nothing much; just reminisced about the past, reminiscing about old times."

"You've never shared past memories with me," Taylor pouted, feeling slightly jealous.

Hugging you every day; do I need to reminisce? Ryan privately rolled his eyes at her. Although Taylor repeatedly assured him, he recognized that she had made similar promises before. She could say that, but somehow, she would still be influenced by outside factors.

When they went out earlier, Ryan had figured out that Abigail came over on her own accord, not a plan Taylor had coordinated all along.

If that was the case, Ryan decided to keep Abigail in front of Taylor to manage her focus. With "the enemy" present, she probably wouldn't be wandering into distractions.

That night, Ryan remained quiet from start to finish. Meanwhile, Taylor struggled to get comfortable, tossing and turning until around three or four in the morning before finally falling asleep.

...

The next day, when Taylor woke up, she noticed Ryan was no longer beside her.

She hurried downstairs and found Abigail sitting at the dining room table, having breakfast, or rather, lunch.

"Where's Ryan?" Taylor immediately inquired.

"He already left," Abigail replied, looking up briefly before returning to her food.

Taylor frowned, walking over to Abigail.

Get up, this is my spot! Taylor silently screamed in her mind.

But Abigail seemed oblivious to this, prompting Taylor to snort and sit beside her.

"What's wrong? Did Ryan not forgive you last night?" Abigail noticed that Taylor's expression was off.

"Of course he forgave me," Taylor smiled brightly, "By the way, when are you heading back to Kansas? Should I help you book a flight today?"

"You're trying to rush me out the door the moment I arrive, huh? I thought I'd stay a bit longer and visit Ryan's club," Abigail retorted.

"Really?" Taylor raised an eyebrow, suddenly realizing how easy it was to invite someone but how hard it was get them to leave.

"And how long are you planning to stay?"

"I think I'll stay for a week," Abigail replied thoughtfully.

Provided with food and drink and the chance to stay in a big house, Abigail was impressed by Ryan's behavior last night; she hadn't realized Ryan was so nostalgic, and since he suggested she stay a bit longer, she felt even less inclined to leave.

"A week?" Taylor's tone rose sharply.

"What's wrong with a week? Why are you in such a hurry? You said yesterday that me being here is part of your being with Ryan," Abigail quickly responded.

As long as Ryan was okay with it, could easily stay for a week, a month, or even a year.

"Fine, no problem," Taylor chuckled, her meal hardly touched as she stood up to head upstairs.

"Why didn't you finish your meal?" Abigail called out to her back.

"I'm full," Taylor replied over her shoulder.

"Such a waste! With all this leftover food, it's a real shame. You rich people can be pretty wasteful," Abigail remarked as she looked at the plate of leftovers.

*****

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