FAZER LOGINIVY’S POVMy eyes didn’t leave Samuel as I made my way to the car.And since he wasn’t aware that I was watching him, he turned and gave the nanny a wink.She was standing by the door with Ava who insisted on seeing me off as I went to school.Her cheeks reddened before she lowered her gaze coyly.Busted!I inwardly high-fived myself. My suspicion was right. They were really dating!“What’s making you smile like that?” Damien asked, eyeing me curiously as he slipped into the car beside me.“Nothing. I just love love”. I shrugged.He looked at me like I was speaking Spanish but I said nothing to clarify my statement.I didn’t know how he’d react if I told him about Samuel and the nanny and the last thing I wanted was to ruin their relationship.I was really rooting for them.Samuel seemed like he needed a little romance to soften that hard heart of his.“I’ll just assume it’s your first day of school that’s making you this happy”.“That’s also part of it”. I admitted, my face brighteni
IVY’S POV“Is everything okay?” I asked, pulling away from his chest to look at his face.A flicker of remorse crossed his features before he gave me a rueful smile.“Samuel told me what Mrs. Sinclair told you while you guys were leaving her house.”“Yeah.” I propped myself up on my elbows. “That’s actually what I wanted to tell you about. Did you tell me everything when you told me about Serena?”He shook his head, his smile fading. “No, I didn’t. I was worried about how you’d take it.”I cupped his cheeks and kissed him softly. “Damien, I promise you, I’ll understand whatever you want to tell me.”“Fine”. He let out a deep breath, his eyes falling away from mine. “I was the one who led Serena’s parents to Patrick.”I lurched upright, my eyes widening. “What?”“I wanted to tell you myself before Mrs. Sinclair told you something that didn’t happen.”“I understand. Just tell me exactly what happened. Why did you do it?”Damien was quiet for a moment before he finally spoke.“It happene
IVY’S POV“Damien Blackwood is not as innocent as you think he is.”Those were the last words Mrs. Sinclair said to me before I left her house.For a brief moment, her words lingered in my mind, planting a tiny seed of doubt I couldn’t shake. But the moment Damien appeared at the house, that doubt began to fade.“Dada!” Ava screamed, her face lighting up the moment she saw him.Damien chuckled as he bent down to catch her in his arms, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.I watched his face soften as he held her, the tenderness in his eyes making it impossible to believe what Mrs. Sinclair had said about him.I pushed the thought away completely.She was nothing more than a desperate woman grasping at anything she could use to destroy us now that her plans had failed.A smile stretched my lips as he moved over to me with Ava in his arms.“Mrs. Blackwood.” His eyes brimmed with emotion as he pulled me into his arms.That was all it took for everything I had been holding inside
IVY’S POVMrs. Sinclair’s glare snapped toward him.“Oh, Elizabeth.” She let out a mocking sigh. “I can’t believe you’re standing here exchanging words with a nanny and a bodyguard.”Her lips curled with disdain.“I’m done talking to you lowlifes. Get out of my house. And as for Damien, I’ll make sure he rots in jail for murder.”“I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.” I let out a frustrated sigh before meeting her eyes. “Mrs. Sinclair, what do you think the whole world will do if they ever find out the truth about Serena’s death?”It was as if all the life drained from her face.She stared at me, her lips parting as she struggled to catch her breath.“Ivy…” Samuel muttered beside me, his voice edged with confusion. “What are you doing?”I had only told him I was coming here to beg her. I hadn’t told him the second part of my plan.“What. Are. You. Talking. About?” Mrs. Sinclair demanded, each word strained.I knew one of the reasons she was so shocked was because she had never imagi
IVY’S POV“Mama, where is Dada?”Ava’s voice pulled me from my thoughts, and the curiosity in her eyes nearly broke my heart.It had been two days since Damien was arrested, and everyone had been working tirelessly to get him out.I crouched in front of her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.“Daddy will be back soon, sweetheart. He went away on a business trip.”“Are you sure?”“Yes, I’m sure. You’ll see him soon,” I promised.Only then did she nod in satisfaction. I kissed her forehead again before handing her over to her nanny. “Please take care of her. I’ll be back soon.”“Okay, ma’am,” she replied and then she took Ava back inside the house.I kept waving at her until they disappeared from view up the stairs before I turned to Samuel.“Let’s go.”“Are you sure you want to do this, Miss Ivy?” he asked as he opened the car door for me. “I’m not sure my boss would be happy if he hears this.”I knew Damien would be furious if he found out about this but I had no choice.“This
IVY’S POVMrs. Miller didn’t have many friends or relatives.It was just me, Damien, and a handful of people gathered beneath the gray afternoon sky.And even most of them looked like they would rather be somewhere else.It broke my heart to think that despite how kind and loving Mrs. Miller had been, only a few people thought she was worth celebrating.I wiped the tears from my cheeks and glanced at Damien, who stood beside me in complete silence.He had barely spoken since the incident yesterday, and I knew it was because he blamed himself for everything that had happened.After the priest finally finished the prayers, the pallbearers slowly carried the coffins toward their graves.I reached for Damien’s hand and intertwined our fingers.“You know you had nothing to do with this, Damien. Stop beating yourself up over it.”“No.” He shook his head quickly. “I had everything to do with this. I’m the reason this family doesn’t exist anymore.”I tightened my grip on his hand.“No, you’re







