CHAPTER SIX : SETTING THE GROUND WORK

Her body tensed as ivy walked in.

"Damian said you were asleep, but you look awake to me." there was a trace of accusations in her voice. She plopped down on the bed beside her and sighed.

"Are you avoiding me, Ellie?" she asked pouting.

Eliana got off the covers. "I just woke up. He wasn't lying " she said. She rang the bell in her room and a maid walked in.

"Can u get us late night snacks? " she said. The maid left.

"What are you doing here ivy? it's late." She said trying to keeping the irritation out of her voice.

Ivy gave her a look that said 'really?'

Eliana sighed.

"Ivy I'm trying to sort a lot of things. The New York conservatory of arts will soon close the window for applications. There's a lot of things I need to do that i haven't" She said.

"So you're really going to go ahead with that?" Ivy asked.

Eliana nodded. "it's been my dream. I want to open my own studio. My parents can afford it" she said.

Ivy's eyes twitched at that. she scoffed. "well, unlike you I don't have rich folks , I can't afford to chase dreams" there was a hint of bitterness as she said that.

Eliana said nothing. The maid returned with the snacks . she set it down and ivy jumped on the tray immediately. She stuffed a cupcake into her mouth.

"hmmm, Eliana aren't you lucky. I only get to taste delicacies like this when i come here." she said as she took a bit of every thing on the tray.

Eliana watched her and grabbed the cookies before she could.

"you can have the rest, ivy" she said.

"Ethan came over the other day," Eliana began after a bridge silence. Ivy perked.

"what did he say? " she asked.

"He wants me back, "Eliana said. Ivy chuckled gleefully.

"You see, not every man will come back to you after you pulled that stunt on the wedding day. He loves you Ellie, I know that. Why hesitate? "

Eliana scoffed on the inside. She knew what ivy was doing. It had worked before, it wouldn't work now. Even though she hadn't fully processed her rebirth. She would not be so blind as to agree with everything she said . She would filter it all.

"oh, I don't know ivy, he seems so genuine but... " she trailed off purposely .

As expected, Ivy was annoyed.

"oh, come one ellie. This is one of the things about you. stop being a child and tell me what it is." She said.

Eliana pretended to look hurt. Ivy sighed and patted her back.

"it's okay Ellie, you know you can tell me anything. I'm your best friend." she said in a soft tone.

"On the day of the wedding, what really made me call it off wasn't because of you or what you had in the past " she paused.

Ivy rolled her eyes. "I knew it. I'd always told you that me and Ethan had nothing doing together. You couldn't tell me the real reason right?" she asked smugly.

Eliana nodded meekly.

"oh, Ellie.. You poor thing. I'm here now. So tell me. why did you call it off? " she asked.

"Ethan was wearing a girl's band, I saw it Ivy. It was tucked underneath his shirt. I couldn't say anything. I thought it was yours at first , but then i knew you were my best friend you wouldn't do such a thing to me right? " Eliana made sure her voice broke for extra effects.

The look on ivy's face was comical. Eliana would have laughed if she wasn't pretending to be sad.

"uh...uh... " Ivy, the eloquent speaker was lost for words.

"are you sure? " she asked finally.

Eliana nodded meekly.

"Oh Ivy, what of if he's seeing another girl? he wouldn't do that would he? He said he loves me" she said sadly.

Ivy swallowed. Beads of perspiration formed on her forehead.

"I understand you Ellie. It's actually something huge, what of if it was his cousin's have you considered that? "

Eliana pretended to ponder on her words.

"Ethan is not close to most of his family. I know that" she said.

"Have you told Ethan? " Ivy asked. Eliana shook her head.

"no one knows but you, I don't want to tell anyone else. Ethan keeps disturbing me. I don't want to marry him again. My brothers doesn't know. I can't tell them. You know what they'll do if they find out. Ethan's whole family will be wiped out. I can't allow that." she said feigning concern.

She could see the clocks turning in Ivy's head. She was thinking of how to get Ethan to amend his ways. They couldn't discard her until Ethan's family got the support they needed.

And to do so they needed her.

Ivy nodded.

"This is bad. But you still love him right?" she asked him ears perked up to hear her answer.

Eliana played with her hands.

"I don't know, I'm confused." She said.

Ivy didn't need to hear a Yes. A possibility was okay. It was all the confirmation that she needed.

"I'll speak to Ethan and get him to give you an explanation. You deserve it. But trust me Ellie ,Ethan loves you. Deeply" she said smiling.

Eliana didn't respond. Her aim had been achieved.

"Are you sleeping here tonight? " she asked. Inside of her she was laughing. Ivy wouldn't dare not after what she had heard.

The expected reply came.

"No," she stood up. "I have to get going now, I only came to see you. Now I know you're fine. I should leave you to rest. " she hurriedly and then packed her stuff.

"bye, Ellie." she said waving without looking back.

Eliana didn't bother to wave back, Ivy wasn't even looking. She had thrown ivy off balance and set the motions for revenge. She wouldn't let past events repeat itself. This second chance she'd been given would not go to waste. She would take back what she lost and shift her fate to Ivy.

"You wanted my husband so badly that you killed me. Now take him he's all yours. Marry my husband, Ivy"