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125

Burning with anger, Darien clenched his fists tightly to restrain himself from lashing out at Ryan. The sight of Ryan's smug smirk only fueled his fury further. As he turned away, he couldn't shake off the feeling of betrayal gnawing at him. Cynthia's pleading eyes haunted him, but he couldn't bear to hear any more lies.

"Darien, what's going on?" Ron's voice cut through the tension as he emerged from their booth, concern etched on his face.

"Forget it, Ron. I was just meddling where I shouldn't have," Darien replied bitterly, his frustration evident in his tone.

"Ryan has always been a troublemaker, stirring up trouble wherever he goes. Don't let him get to you," Ron advised, trying to offer some solace.

"The problem isn't just Ryan, it's Cynthia too," Darien sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "No matter how hard I try, she's just too stubborn to see reason."

"Darien, don't waste your time on one woman. There are plenty out there," Ron said dismissively, a confident smirk