LOGIN[Ivy]The silence in the car is a living, breathing thing.Thankfully, the very annoying and very controlling man next to me doesn’t say a word.Because honestly, if he did, I would have given him a piece of my mind, too.I’m not even sure why I got into his car—in Elijah’s car—in the first place. I had every reason to walk right past him, considering his so-called son just gave me the worst headache of my life.I mean, how could someone be so stupid? How could Hunter even come up with a solution so absurd? Where is his self-awareness? Where is his damn logic?In the gutter?I roll my eyes, staring hard at the view outside, though it has no impact on my furious brain.I don’t know how long I just sit there—speechless, angry, and completely out of my mind. But when the car finally stops, it’s only then that I blink and really look outside to see where we are.To say I’m pissed to find myself back at the mansion Hunter and I shared for the last five years would be an understatement.I w
“Dammit!” Hunter grunted, finally letting his frustration show on his face.God knows how long he had been holding back. But if he had snapped at her even once during their conversation, there was no doubt in his mind that Ivy would have stormed out right away.He should have seen it coming, though. It had been a long shot from the very beginning.He knew Ivy would never accept the baby. Hell, she didn’t even want him anymore.And yet, he had hoped.Hoped that maybe, just maybe, she would see how much he was trying to fix things, how much he wanted to make it up to her. He had even been ready to give her a child. His child. But now, as he stood there alone, he realized just how foolish that hope had been.He ran a hand through his hair, pulling at the strands in frustration. What was he s
I look at him for a long moment, feeling nothing but pity. How could I have ever loved this man? How could I have been so blind to his flaws?Even after everything that has happened between us, he still has the audacity to talk like that. Like nothing ever happened. Like everything he did was somehow so excusable that a single apology would be enough to fix it all.I shake my head, looking at the man I once loved more than myself.“There’s nothing to fix, Hunter,” I say directly, holding nothing back. “We’re done. We’ve been done for a while now, and you know that.”Ever since the day you decided to cheat on me.He shakes his head frantically, reaching for my hand and surprising me with his tight grip. “No, we’re not. How can you even say that, Ivy? You used to love me so much. You always forgave me, no matter what. Why can’t you just… just give me another chance?”I pull my hand away, disgusted by the touch. “Because I don’t want to forgive you, isn’t that enough?”His face falls, an
[Ivy]“This is too much, Ivy. I can’t… I can’t accept all of this,” Janice says, looking at the dozens of shopping bags in front of her. She turns to me, shaking her head frantically. “I know you care about me, and I’m grateful to have someone like you as my friend, but this is really too much. You have to understand that I can’t accept it.”“Good lord, you’re overthinking again!” I groan, rolling my eyes and ignoring her childish protest. I turn to the staff member instead, who has been assisting us for the past two hours. “Here’s my card. Swipe it once we’re done. Don’t hold back.”The attendant accepts the card with a gentle smile. “Yes, ma’am. Would you like to see something else? Perhaps our new party collection? We have just received the latest designs from Rosita Rose.”Rosita Rose? Isn’t she the famous designer who’s been making waves in the fashion industry lately? I’ve read a few articles about her, but I’ve never actually seen her work up close. I wonder how it would look o
Hearing Janice say that warms my heart.I never had a sister, but if I did, I would genuinely want someone like her.She’s the epitome of kindness, love, and compassion.And for obvious reasons, that makes me want to avenge her.Rebecca and that fraud, Ivory Hunt, not only destroyed her, her career, and her entire future, but they also made the huge mistake of stealing what’s mine.And now they possibly cannot blame anyone but themselves for what’s coming to them, can they?—[Elijah]“What the hell is wrong with you?” Hunter comes storming into my office, looking more furious than I expected.Then again, I’m so used to being so disappointed in him that at this point, his tantrums hardly affect me anymore.“You went to see Ivy last night and didn’t even bother to tell me?” he spits out. “Why? What do you get by doing this? Do you get some sick pleasure out of butting in between my wife and me? Or do you think you can do just about anything because no one is here to question you?”I le
During breakfast, everyone keeps staring at the scarf wrapped tightly around my neck.Grandpa raises an eyebrow, and Martha gives me a curious look, but no one asks any questions. And I’m grateful for that.The last thing I want to explain is how I got a hickey the size of a fucking apple on my neck, especially when the culprit is someone I shouldn’t even be thinking about that way.Janice, on the other hand, seems to be in a much better mood this morning. She’s laughing and chatting like her old self, and it’s a relief to see her like this after everything she’s been through.After breakfast, she follows me back to my room, her curiosity getting the better of her.“So,” she starts, closing the door behind her, “you wanna tell me what’s going on with you and that neck of yours? Because I don’t think it’s just a fashion statement.”I sigh, knowing I can’t keep this from her forever. “I… it’s nothing. Just a mistake.”She raises an eyebrow, looking even more curious. “A mistake, huh?” T
[Ivy]Finn and I drive straight to Magnus Hospital to see Dr. Keith.The moment we enter his cabin, he welcomes us with a smile.“Right on time,” he says, gesturing for us to take our seats. “I was about to call your grandfather myself if you had failed to make time for this visit.”Finn and I take
Hunter couldn’t sleep all night either.But unlike Ivy, whose sleepless night came from heartbreak and unanswered questions, Hunter’s was filled with frustration, anger, and regret that clawed at his chest like a living thing.The divorce papers sat on his desk like a personal insult.He stared at
Grandpa rolls his eyes, though the corner of his mouth still lifts into a smile.“Fine. Fine. I accept this for now. But next time, make sure you hug first so this old man doesn’t have anything to complain about.”“Promise.” I squeeze his shoulders lightly. “There won’t be a next time.”He looks sa
I spend the rest of the night tossing and turning.Even though I’m completely exhausted and just want to give my busy mind a rest, I end up staying awake for most of the night.Several questions keep me awake. Too many questions. Questions that seem to grow the moment I answer one of them.But the







