Rivals In Love (Love In Montana Book 4)

It was a huge online drive that Gabrielle launched after uncle Will left. Being immensely popular, she soon collected a large number of signatures against Wyatt and his friends. She forwarded them to uncle Will within a matter of just twenty-five minutes. 

Leaving matters in the hands of the police, they relaxed a little, waiting for the results. Gabrielle shrieked with delight seeing a letter of apology framed by the authorities of the college in her inbox. She forwarded the letter to all the victims who had signed to get the culprits punished. 

Eventually Wyatt and his friends were forced to leave college. Later they found out that he had left Laramie and moved to UCLA along with his friends. It was a win of the good against the bad. 

However it taught Georgia many important lessons of life. It taught her that she needed to first distinguish the good from the evil before trusting anyone blindly. Wyatt was the evil and she had no idea of what lay behind his facade while Gabrielle did. She had to learn to distinguish just like Gabrielle. 

After meeting Wyatt, Georgia realized that a relationship could not be forced upon you. It should be left to happen naturally. What she shared with Ryan was spontaneous. The kisses that they shared were magical. They didn't make her cringe. It was true that Ryan took out the anger he felt for her brothers on her. It was a wrong move but whatever he did, was for his family's welfare. His motives weren't evil like Wyatt's. Surely she was hurt by Ryan's actions but he didn't plan to harm her the way Wyatt did. 

She also learnt another lesson. It was useless to move on from Ryan and plunge into a relationship just to prove to Ryan that she had moved on. Her heart loved Ryan and it was okay to live with her unrequited love. While she couldn't forgive Ryan for hurting her, she couldn't move on from him too. 

So studies continued and she switched off her senses to any guy who approached her. Gabrielle stuck to her like a rock. Her indomitable spirit and her strength of character made Georgia want to be like her. So the next few years, she learnt a lot from Gabrielle. She learnt to stand up for herself. She learnt to be fearless and strong. She learnt to live positively. 

At home, her uncle and aunt as well her brothers supported her in everything they did. She had the freedom to do what she wanted and she never let them down. She aced in her studies and found a good internship opportunity in Laramie at a reputable petting zoo nearby. While Gabrielle prepared for pre-vet, Georgia learnt many new stuff and loved the experience at her work place. 

She received the news of Brian's wedding but didn't feel like calling him or attending it. So after a year when Greg got married, Georgia's reaction was the same. She wasn't interested in their lives. She had no news of Ryan and knew that while she still loved him, he might have moved on from her. After all, they never were in a proper relationship. They only shared two casual kisses. While for Georgia, they meant everything, they were her only memory to last a lifetime, Ryan might have forgotten her completely. 

But she was wrong! Ryan was broken-hearted and changed. For years, he lived with a guilt that ate him alive. He knew that he had no way to ease his mind, Georgia was gone forever without giving him a chance to apologize. His heart cried everyday and he remembered her hurt expression every single moment. He was so obsessed with her that he knew that ths only probable cause behind all this was because he had unknowingly fallen deeply in love with her.  It was a love which had no future. It was a hopeless feeling as everyday he waited and waited for her to return to him but by the end of the day, he felt only unhappiness, dejection and heartbreak. 

His whole family noticed his condition. "I know you like her more than you should, bro. There's no point in denying it," said Ryder. 

Ryan shrugged. "I'm not denying it. I know that I've fallen in love with her but the way I've hurt her, she's gone forever. I've lost her," said Ryan, holding his head in his hands. 

Ryder shook his head. "Why don't you find out where she is?" Asked Ryder. 

"I know she's at her aunt's house in Wyoming but I don't know exactly where. She wouldn't want me after what I did to her," said Ryan guiltily. He had already told Ryder when Georgia left about what had happened on that dreadful day. 

"You can't wait for her like this forever, Ryan. You need her forgiveness, a closure at least to move on," said Ryder. Ryan  nodded his head. He knew that his brother was right but how would he get that closure? How would he ask for her forgiveness?

"How?" He asked brokenly. 

"You could ask her friend Macy to contact her. You have her number. If you can't call her, have you ever tried to message her?" Asked Ryder. 

"She has changed her number. I've tried many times. Even Macy doesn't have her new number. She has just disappeared and that's the hard truth," said Ryan, hopelessly. 

So, life went on for Ryan. He put all his energy into his studies and work at their dairy farm. Everyday, he overworked himself so that he didn't have any time to ponder over his broken heart. He just slogged hard and dozed off to sleep from the day's exhaustion after saying a silent prayer to God. His only wish was to get Georgia's forgiveness and he sincerely prayed to God for only that and nothing else. Everyday he slept with tears in his eyes and woke up with tear stains on his face, thinking, dreaming and crying for Georgia in his sleep. But God never took pity on him. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months and soon one by one the years passed by yet God didn't grant him his wish. 

Georgia excelled in everything that she did. The loving atmosphere at home, the wonderful group of friends at college and the supportive atmosphere at work made her ace everything. Gabrielle had taught her how to deal with her broken heart and she followed her footsteps and learnt to conquer her inner feelings. So while Ryan's condition deteriorated as time went by, Georgia surged ahead with a new found confidence and focus. There never was any time to look back. Returning to Fordsville didn't feature even once in her mind. Her brothers tried calling her but she never spoke to them. To her they were non-existent. 

After that day, she and Gabrielle never heard from Wyatt but Georgia had received a threat note a month later.

I'll be back for revenge 

It worried Georgia initially but her family friends reassured her and soon she was able to overcome her fears and move on ahead.

"I'll always be there for you, Georgia. Face him bravely and prove to him that you're stronger and more capable of giving him back what he deserves. Make him fear you," advised Gabrielle. Georgia nodded. She knew that she would fight him if he tried to harm her in any way. 

"I feel that we both should take up self defense classes. It'll equip us with what we need to face our fears as well as our enemies better," said Gabrielle. So during the weekends, the two girls religiously attended self defense classes together. After a year's extensive training, Georgia became fearless and confident. Her entire body language changed and she even started teaching self defense to young girls in her free time at the club where she trained. There was an absolute transformation in Georgia from an innocent, shy and awkward girl who couldn't stand up for herself to stunningly beautiful diva who was a go-getter and a fearless and highly professional achiever. 

So the years passed by and soon five years had gone by. Gabrielle had started her internship as a vet while Georgia was working as a Chief Nutritionist at the most reputed animal rehabilitation center in Laramie. Life was good to both the friends when one day Gabrielle informed her that Wyatt was back in town. It didn't matter to Georgia. She could deal with him. Two days later however, she did meet Wyatt as he blocked her way to her workplace. 

"Hi, Georgia, " he said, as he walked up to her in the parking area of her rehabilitation center. Georgia was immediately on high alert, ready to box his head off if he tried anything funny. 

"What do you want, Wyatt?" She asked with a scowl on her face.

"I'm sorry for everything that I've done to you. I was young with no one to scold or guide me. I'm grateful to you for giving me that sense of direction that I needed in my life. Today I have a successful business and a wonderful education just because of you. I'm indebted to you but I need your forgiveness to move on. Please forgive me, Georgia, " he begged her. 

"I'm glad that you're doing well, Wyatt. I've forgiven you. All the best with your life," she said, walking away towards the center.

"Georgia, can we be friends, please?" Begged Wyatt. 

"Let's not go into that, again, Wyatt. Goodbye," said Georgia, walking inside. 

"I won't let you go so easily, Georgia. I love you and will convince you till I die," swore Wyatt, before driving away.