Chapter 4

"Ivy, you're the one who released that video, aren't you?"

I didn't deny it, didn't confirm it either. I just looked at him.

He rubbed his temples in irritation. "Do you have any idea what that stunt did? The Thorne Pack's reputation is destroyed. The alliance deal with the other pack fell through. My father's blood pressure—"

I cut him off. "When you were sleeping with her, did you think about the Thorne Pack's reputation?"

He choked on his words.

After a few seconds of silence, he sighed and walked over, reaching for my hand. "Ivy, I admit I did something wrong. But think about it—haven't I been good to you? Your grandmother's medical bills, your brother's tuition overseas—who paid for all of that?"

I stared into his eyes and said, word by word, "So what? So you sleeping with Serena was a favor to me?"

He frowned. "That's not what I meant. I meant, we've been together this long, can't you give me one chance? I'll deal with Serena. It won't happen again."

"Deal with her?"

I laughed. "How? Let her keep setting up Curse Circles for me? Or let her keep crying in your arms?"

Damon's patience seemed to hit its limit. His voice hardened. "Ivy, what exactly do you want? I said I'd change. Why do you have to keep dragging this out?"

Keep dragging this out.

Four words, light as air, sharp as a blade.

In my past life, he'd said the exact same thing.

Back then I was seven months pregnant. Serena had set up a Death Hex in my kitchen and laced my food with wolfsbane. I threw up everything and ended up in the Healing Center.

When Damon rushed in, his first words weren't asking if I was okay. He frowned and said, "Ivy, Serena said she just accidentally dropped a hex rune into the pot. Why do you have to keep dragging this out?"

Keep dragging this out.

What I was dragging out was a life.

The life inside me that never got the chance to see this world.

"We're done here."

I walked out of the room. I didn't want to continue this conversation.

The second I stepped out, a hand clamped over my mouth and nose.

The last thing I saw was Serena's malicious smile.

When I woke up, I was tied up inside a sealed vehicle.

I struggled desperately to break free, staring at Serena. "You're insane! What are you doing?!"

"Relax, Ivy. I just want to play a little game."

I frowned, not understanding.

She untied me.

Then she ripped her own clothes, messed up her hair, flung the door open and ran out screaming. I heard her voice: "I'm sorry, Ivy! I'll never go near Damon again! Please—please don't let those men hurt me…"

I had barely pushed the door open and stepped out when someone shoved me to the ground. I slammed into a lamppost.

Damon had his arm around Serena, who was babbling nonsense. "Ivy Pemberton, you've gone too far! So Serena slept with me, and you hire a bunch of men to assault her?!"

My eyes went wide with shock. "I didn't!"

My head cleared, and I saw the several rough-looking men standing around me. That was when I realized—this was all a setup Serena had staged.

"Someone get on this—stop Ivy Pemberton's grandmother's treatment at the Healing Center immediately. And cut off her brother's scholarship overseas!"

I thought of my grandmother still in the intensive ward, and my legs gave out. I dropped to my knees and grabbed the hem of his pants. "You can't! Please!"

"Get off me."

He kicked me away and left with Serena in his arms.

I rushed to the Healing Center. Sure enough, a group of people had thrown my grandmother out the front entrance. Her body was too frail to survive that kind of treatment. She died right there at the entrance.

I held her body and wept in despair, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

……

(God's POV)

Meanwhile, Damon hadn't seen Ivy in days. During that time, Serena had been diagnosed with mild trauma shock at the Healing Center.

The healer said it was mild post-traumatic stress—she needed rest, companionship, and an environment where she felt safe.

He had stayed at the Healing Center with her the entire time, to the point where he'd forgotten about Ivy.

Based on past experience, after every fight, Ivy was always the first to give in. She'd go quiet for two or three days, then send him a message.

She'd made that scene at the Mating Ceremony—slapping a hex rune on Serena's forehead in front of every guest, making the whole Pack look like fools.

She should realize she went too far.

A few days to cool down, think it through, and she'd come to him to apologize. Then he'd be generous, forgive her, and the whole thing would be behind them.

He figured she must know she was wrong by now.

So he called someone to have Ivy's grandmother brought back to the Healing Center to continue treatment.

The next second, the staff told him, "Mr. Thorne, Miss Pemberton's grandmother passed away several days ago."