Drawing the line

“He wants to speak to you alone.” Velvet's cold and calm voice is still ringing in her ears.

The engagement announcement had barely been live twenty-four hours when Ivy found herself standing outside Asher’s private office in the Cole mansion.

That alone set Ivy’s nerves on edge.

She knocked. Once, twice and then heard the cold, “Come in.”

Inside, the room was all sleek modern lines, dark wood, glass, the faint scent of cedar. Asher was by the window, his jacket off, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up. He stood there like a silent statue that could only be seen from a distance and NEVER be touched.

He didn’t turn when she stepped in.

“Close the door.”

The low command made her spine straighten. She obeyed, the soft click of the door echoing in the silence.

He finally turned, his grey eyes as unreadable as the first day she’d met him.

“I assume,” he began, “you understand what this is.”

Ivy’s hands tightened on the strap of her bag. “An engagement,” she said quietly.

His lips curved faintly, but without humor. “A business arrangement. Not a marriage in the romantic sense.”

Something inside her twisted, but she held his gaze. “Go on.”

“We’re engaged until you give birth,” Asher said, his voice controlled. “After that, divorce. You keep your privacy, the child is provided for, and the media remains satisfied. But there will be no… love. No public scenes. No illusions of a relationship outside what is necessary.”

Ivy’s chest felt tight, but her voice was steady. “So secrecy. You want no one to know I’m pregnant.”

His gaze sharpened slightly. “For now. It keeps the press from hounding you, and protects the company’s image. My grandmother believes this arrangement benefits everyone.”

Her lips curved faintly, almost bitterly. “And you?”

“I believe it keeps unnecessary complications out of both our lives,” he said evenly.

There was a long silence, broken only by the faint hum of the city outside.

Ivy finally nodded. “Okay, but I expect honesty. No lies about me in the press. No pretending that I don’t exist.”

A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he inclined his head. “Agreed.”

And with that he walked out, leaving her and her heavy heart alone.

---

LATER THAT AFTERNOON

“Why did you call both of us here, grandma?” Asher said in an inpatient tone, making Ivy stiffen with how disinterested he was in being in the same room with her.

“It is better,” Mrs Cole said in her calm, measured voice, “if Ivy moves into your apartment, Asher. Appearances matter, and it will allow you to oversee her care.”

Ivy blinked. “That’s… not necessary. I can-...” She was cut off before she could complete her sentence.

“Nonsense, little girl,” Mrs. Cole interrupted gently. “You are family now. It is proper.”

Asher’s jaw tightened slightly, but he nodded. “Fine. But we’ll live in separate rooms.”

Mrs. Cole’s gaze flicked between them, but she said nothing more.

---

THE NEXT DAY

Ivy arrived at Asher’s apartment.

It was exactly what she expected, minimalist, immaculate, masculine. Shades of grey, black, and deep brown. It was beautiful, but there was no warmth, no personal clutter.

Asher showed her to a guest room, light walls, simple furnishings, and a view of the city.

“You can make it comfortable,” he said, his voice neutral. “If you need anything, let my assistant know.” Saying that he walked out of the apartment.

She nodded at his back, taking in the space. She thought of walking around to take a look and familiarizing herself with the space she's going to share with that man.

She suddenly noticed that there were five rooms in total. But two rooms were locked. One was the reading room, a door of dark wood, always closed, its brass handle untouched. The other, the movie room, was the same.

“No one's allowed in these two rooms. Please follow the same, miss,” the maid said in a warning tone, seeing her eyeing those two doors a bit longer than usual.

She didn’t ask questions. Not yet.

But what caught her off guard most was in the living room, a single Phalaenopsis orchid, perfectly white, sitting in a black vase on the coffee table.

It didn’t match the rest of the room’s sleek décor.

Her fingers itched to touch its petals, but she didn’t dare.

---

That evening, Asher returned earlier than expected. He found her in the kitchen, flipping through a small recipe book.

“You don’t have to cook,” he said, removing his jacket. “I’ve arranged for a chef to deliver meals.”

“I like cooking,” she said simply.

He studied her for a moment. “Fine. But tell me what you can and can’t eat. I’ve arranged supplies, if you need something, I’ll have it sent.”

Her brows lifted slightly. “You seem very prepared for someone who doesn’t want ‘complications.’”

He poured himself a glass of water, his expression unreadable. “I said I wouldn’t be careless. There’s a difference.”

She watched him, her chest tightening. There was no softness in his voice, but there was a quiet precision to the way he arranged things for her comfort.

“I will keep it in my mind.” She said after a long break.

“What?” He asked with a frown, he also wasn't present at the moment.

“The difference. I'll keep the difference in my mind.” She clarified with a soft mocking smile on her face. He didn't say anything else.

It wasn’t love. But it wasn’t indifference either.

Ivy stared at the city lights outside.

Asher’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, unreadable. Then he set his glass of water down and said, almost casually, “Work at Red Star.”

She blinked. “What?”

“If you’re under my company’s roof, it will be easier to keep you away from paparazzi and any unnecessary attention. We can control the environment, the narrative.”

Her fingers tightened on the edge of the counter. “I can’t. I already have an ongoing contract.”

He studied her, sharp eyes narrowing slightly. “With who?”

She lifted her chin, a faint shadow passing over her expression. “I’d rather not involve you in my personal life… just like you don’t want to involve me in yours.”

Something flickered in his gaze, curiosity, perhaps, but he let it go. “Fine.”

He straightened, reaching for his jacket. “Then you’ll join Red Star on a temporary contract. It will state clearly you receive no benefits except the experience. Come to the office tomorrow.”

Before she could answer, he was already walking away, the quiet click of his bedroom door ending the conversation.

Ivy exhaled slowly, feeling the tension ebb just enough to breathe again. She picked up her phone, scrolling absently through her inbox, until one subject line froze her in place.

Project Update: New York Expansion- Alexander & McQueen x Red Star Group

Her heart skipped.

The London company she still worked for… had a deal…With his company.