I need to leave

IVY

No. There’s no way in hell I’m doing this.

“Ivy, please,” Sierra pouts, flashing me her really cute puppy dog eyes she knows I can’t say no to.

Only this time, I have no other choice than to refuse.

“My dad already made it clear I’ll be coming. My mom thinks I need to go with him, to integrate into his world or whatever the hell she said. I can’t do it without you.”

I raise a brow at her.

“I’m guessing that’s why you called me here, to be a buffer between you and him.” She doesn’t respond, but her cute and mischievous smile tells me all I need to know.

“For God’s sake, Sierra.”

“What? It’s not like I’m asking you to jump off a cliff for me. I just…I don’t want to speak to him, okay? I’ll rather talk to you.”

She cups my cheeks to make me smile, but I’m slowly dying inside. With everything that’s happened between Knox and I, spending more time around him is…is basically asking me to jump off a cliff.

“You know why I came here. You know I’m here to hide. What’s the point if everyone sees me and knows who I am?”

“No one would know, Ivy. Pristine is…it’s different from the rest of the world. Most of the people here are old billionaires, just like my dad. I don’t know the lore of this place, but I doubt anyone here uses the internet.”

I bite my lip.

I want to tell her it’s not true, that someone has seen, someone knows, and it’s her dad. A lot has happened under her nose, and she really doesn’t want me anywhere close to him.

Yet, I don’t. What good would that do her or me?

I roll my eyes and heave a sigh.

“Fine. I’m only doing this because I love you so much.”

Her eyes beam with excitement.

“Yay!” She throws both hands in the air and kisses my cheek. “You’re the best, Ivy. You know that, right?”

I force a smile.

She wouldn’t say that if she knew half of what I’ve done in the last twenty four hours.

Sierra offers me a red backless dress for the gala. I was barely able to pack a bag when I left home, and my only bag consists mostly of jeans, T-shirts, and sweaters.

I stare at my image in the mirror. The red sequin dress hugs every of my curves as it flows down, spreads out into a slit at the bottom of my right hip, and continues down to my ankles.

My blonde hair is held up in the sleek ponytail Sierra helps style. My lips are blood red, matching my dress. The white heels add an extra three inches to my height.

“You look absolutely gorgeous,” she says to me. I look up at her image in the mirror to see her standing behind me, pleased by her work.

All I can think about is Knox. Would he drop to his knees once he sees me in this?

“Let’s go down,” she grabs my hand. “He’s started the car.”

It’s hard to hurry downstairs in heels, but I’m able to follow Sierra’s pace without falling face flat on the stairs. The door automatically locks behind us as we step out.

Pristine is just like home in one way; it doesn’t snow during Christmas. There’s just a dryness in the hot air that compels one to always moisturize, and wear lipgloss. But it’s beautiful nonetheless.

Knox is at the backseat of the car when we get there. I’m about to open the front door to sit beside the driver when Sierra appears beside me.

“You can stay at the back with him. I like the front seat.”

My breath hitches at the back of my throat. I drag my gaze towards Knox in the backseat. His silver hair is pressed down to the back of his neck. I wonder how much gel went into making it so shiny.

His navy blue tuxedo clings to his shoulder blades. It’s easy to see it was tailor made for him.

If he’s hurt by Sierra’s actions, he doesn’t show it. He wants to do right by her, and he needs to avoid me for that. But all she keeps doing is pushing me to him.

I gulp hard on the lump in my throat.

“Sierra, I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I mean…”

“Why?” She plasters a bright smile on her face as she pulls the front seat open.

“I promise he doesn’t bite.”

That’s the problem. I want him to.

A tired sigh slips from my lips. I leave the door handle to her and move to the back. I pull the door open, and Knox barely looks at me.

God. He smells like heaven.

I climb into the backseat behind him.

Sierra demands the driver play music once the car starts. I know it’s because she doesn’t want to speak to Knox.

It’s almost so strange. I’ve never seen this side of her before.

As much as I try not to, my gaze keeps shifting towards Knox. It drops to his left hand which continuously taps his knee.

I wonder what it’ll feel like to be able to reach for him, to lock my fingers with his and promise him it’ll be okay, that I know Sierra and I know that whatever he’s done, he can fix it if he just says sorry.

My best friend has a heart of gold. It’s one of the many things that drew me to her.

“Are you alright, Ivy?”

Sierra’s voice snaps me out of my reverie. I look up to find her staring at me from the rear view mirror.

“Yes, sure.”

Knox doesn’t utter a single word until we arrive at the venue. Sierra grabs my right arm and locks hers around it.

“Sierra,” Knox calls out. She grunts in annoyance before she turns to look at him.

“What?”

“Can you come over here, with me?” He stretches his right hand to her. “I have some people I’ll love you to meet.”

“Great,” she mutters underneath her breath, but it’s loud enough for me to hear. “Time to play dutiful daughter.”

She releases me from her chokehold and walks towards him. I watch as they both head inside, and I follow them closely behind.

They go off to greet people, leaving me behind and giving me enough time to look around.

Sierra was right about one thing; Pristine is definitely a city for the rich folk. I have no idea what this gala is for, but the caliber of people in this room—from their dresses, to jewelry, to the scent of their cologne—screams luxury and class.

For a moment, I allow myself to be carried away, to imagine a world where I’m finally a renowned artist like my mother dreamed she’ll be. I imagine a celebration, a party of this kind after any successful exhibition.

I’ll never lack. I’ll never have to bend over backwards for anyone ever again.

But how can that happen? If I’m not expelled from school due to this scandal, I won’t be able to pay for my fees.

How do I…?

“Well, well, well. Look what the fucking cat dragged in.”

That voice, the sneer and the venom in it are more than enough to drain my blood, to turn my feet to ice right where I stand.

I don’t turn around. I can’t turn around. Not when my heart is racing so fast I can barely afford to breathe.

He walks over and stands in front of me. In my four inch heels, he’s not much taller than me anymore, but he doesn’t need to be to send the worst kind of shivers down my spine.

Harold fucking Grant.

He leers at me with a distasteful frown on his face.

“What the fuck are you doing in my party, you fucking whore?”

My eyes widen. I part my lips to speak, to say anything, but no words form in my mind.

This is his party.

This is his…

I can’t breathe. I look around, trying to search for Sierra. I need to get out of here, now.

I try to walk away, but he grabs me by my wrist.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going, little slut?”

I stare back at him. I don’t want to call attention to myself.

This is awful. Why is this happening to me?

“I…I don’t want trouble.”

“Oh, I know what you want, alright? You’re here to beg me, are you not? To say you’re sorry and you want me back. I’ll tell you what. You can wait behind, after this party, and I’ll let you into my bed. I won’t be marrying you anymore, of course. But we could come to some form of arrangement, and…”

“Fuck you.”

He raises a brow as a scowl forms on his face.

“What did you just say to me?”

Tears are burning in my eyes. I bet my mascara is already on its way to my cheeks.

“I said, fuck…”

I don’t finish my sentence, not when I see him raise his hand to meet my face.

I close my eyes, tighten my cheek muscles, and brace myself for the slap about to come.

It never does.

When I open my eyes, I see why.

Knox Mortimer Reid is holding Harold Grant’s right hand in the air.