MasukFifteen 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
Ivy said little. Her lips formed polite smiles, she nodded now and then but never joined the conversations. It was that very silence—her refusal to engage—that made her even more captivating.People began to inch closer, trying to catch her attention. But Josh’s focus never wavered. His hand remaine
"Do I really have to wear this?" Ivy asked, staring at the mask in her hand—a sleek piece made of deep black velvet, its shape narrowing at the corners to elegantly frame her features. There were no gaudy feathers, no over-the-top embellishments. Just a single satin ribbon meant to be tied at the ba
Josh gave a slow nod. “Good. Carry it out. A man willing to stand against Jaeyoon Jung without selling information to outsiders? That’s rare.”“He also gave me this.” Dylan reached into the inside pocket of his blazer and pulled out a neatly folded document. He handed it to Josh. “It’s a record of a
If she fell any deeper... what would become of her?It was that very thought that made Ivy turn her face away, breaking their eye contact. But Josh was quick—his fingers gently caught her chin and tilted it back toward him.“Not a doll,” he whispered, his gaze unmoving. “You're mine tonight.”He gui







