LOGINFifteen minutes later, the kitchen was filled with the rich scent of butter and Grace’s excited giggles. Ivy poured the batter carefully while Grace stood on a chair, clutching a spatula far too big for her tiny hands.“Slowly, sweetheart,” Ivy said patiently. “If you rush, it’ll get messy.”Josh st
Ivy clicked her tongue and playfully smacked his arm. “That’s because you were the one who dragged me into that ridiculous plan to take back my house from Rico.”“And you agreed to it,” Josh shot back.“Because I thought you were just some crazy guy looking for entertainment,” Ivy said honestly.Jos
Ivy, who had been busy tossing salad at the dining table, could only laugh. “You two are like kids fighting over Grace’s attention.”Natasha chuckled softly. “She’s right, Ivy. At home, whenever Nathan sees a cute toy, the first thing he says isn’t about me—it’s always, ‘Grace would love this.’”Nat
FOUR YEARS LATER“Grace! Don’t run in the hallway!”Ivy’s voice echoed through the living room, which was now a battlefield of toys, stuffed animals, and a sticky spill of apple juice on the glass table.The little girl with golden-brown hair looked back for half a second before bursting into laught
Josh leaned back on the living room sofa, his gaze fixed on Alena, who was cradling the tiny baby in her arms with the gentlest smile he had ever seen. Grace looked utterly peaceful, occasionally letting out a small yawn and stretching like a kitten in her grandmother’s embrace.“Mom, it’s been almo
The first few days after Ivy came home from the hospital felt like the beginning of an entirely new chapter in their lives.The once-quiet house was now a world of baby cries, Ivy’s soft lullabies, and Josh’s panicked voice every time their little girl so much as twitched.“Josh, please… it’s only t
The apartment door shut a little harder than usual, leaving a pressing quiet behind it. Ivy stood frozen for a moment while Josh stared at the closed door, disappointment written across his face.He let out a long breath. “I can’t believe… Mom would say something like that.”Ivy slowly bowed her hea
The car stopped in front of the apartment, and Ivy smoothed back her slightly tousled hair. Her arms were still full of shopping bags from the supermarket. Danny, the driver, picked up a few of them, flashing his usual easy smile.“Should I take this straight to the kitchen, Mrs. Ivy?” he asked.“Ye
At noon, Ivy’s perfume boutique in an upscale Myeongdong shopping district was buzzing with customers. The air was laced with warm notes of ylang-ylang and sandalwood. Ivy had just finished helping a client when a burst of cheerful noise from the entrance caught her attention.“Bunny! We came to col
“I have a surprise!” Ivy burst out. “That Bergamot-Patchouli perfume you hate? It sold out today! All the women loved it. But I promise I won’t wear that scent for us.”She moved closer and wrapped her arms around Josh, breathing in the familiar musk of her husband.“Why do you look so tense, Josh?







