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
By the time Ivy reached her ninth month of pregnancy, she was still remarkably calm and active. She continued visiting her perfume shop a few hours a day, took slow walks in the park, and even joined Josh for lunch at his office every now and then.But as the due date drew closer, one thing hadn’t c
By the time Ivy entered her third month of pregnancy, her belly wasn’t showing much yet—but Josh was already acting like a seasoned father-to-be.Every morning, he’d flip through baby product brochures, binge-watch videos comparing the best car seats, and reorganize the spare room in their apartment
"Josh, are you sure you want to come?"Ivy looked at her husband, who’d been busy since morning packing a small bag with vitamins, a bottle of water, and a neck pillow for their short trip to the hospital.“Why not?” he shot back without even glancing at her. “I’m not letting you go alone. Besides,
The sound of retching came from the bathroom. Ivy, who had just finished setting breakfast on the table, rushed toward the noise in alarm.“Josh?” she called out, her voice tight with worry.From behind the door came her husband’s weak but stubborn voice. “I’m fine, Ivy. Probably just… skipped break







