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No more control

last update publish date: 2026-03-24 21:19:00

IVY POV

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry.

He was too close… close enough that I could see the faint scar near his eyebrow, close enough to feel his warmth.

“Love,” I said slowly, buying time, “isn’t some perfect movie moment.”

His eyes stayed on mine, unblinking.

“It’s messy,” I continued. “It’s choosing someone even when they annoy you. Even when they make no sense. It’s staying… when walking away would be easier.”

His jaw tightened just a
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  • Where the ice melts    Hidden hand

    IVY POVThe first file was worse than I expected.Sports compliance case. High-profile athlete. Alleged contract breach, endorsement fallout, media vultures already circling. If this went wrong, it wouldn’t just be a courtroom loss... it would be front-page humiliation.“Cute,” I muttered under my breath.Harrington hadn’t given me busy work.He’d given me something explosive.I flipped open the second file.Intellectual property dispute between two tech companies. Billions at stake. Aggressive opposing counsel. Multiple jurisdictions are involved.He didn’t want to see if I could survive.He wanted to see if I could dominate… crashFine.I kicked off my heels under the desk, tucked my legs beneath me, and started mapping timelines on a legal pad. Dates. Clauses. Breach points. Weaknesses.Thirty minutes in, I forgot to be nervous.An hour in, I forgot I was new.

  • Where the ice melts    Nowhere feels safe

    IVY POVMorning came too fast.For a split second, I forgot where I was. The bed was softer. The room unfamiliar. Sunlight streamed through massive windows instead of my tiny Chicago blinds.Then it hit me.New York.First day.Kirkland & Ellis.…Manhattan branch.I shot upright.“Oh, my God.”I grabbed my phone from the nightstand—6:42 AM.Not late. Thank God cos are not repeating the mistake of yesterday.I slipped out of bed and walked toward the windows. The city was already awake… yellow cabs slicing through traffic, distant horns, the low hum of ambition in the air.Today wasn’t just about showing up.Today was about making a statement.If Steven thought I was a transfer inconvenience, fine.I'm about show them the sharpest inconvenience he’d ever met.I opened my suitcase and laid everything out on the bed.Black tailored trousers.Struc

  • Where the ice melts    The real target

    IVY POVAlright,” Max said, clapping his hands once. “You’ve stared at my penthouse long enough. You’ve drooled over my wealth. Now let me feed so you don't faint on me.”“Please,” I groaned, leaning back in my stool. “Finally. After everything today, I need some carbs.”He laughed and walked over to the kitchen island. I swung my legs on one of the bar stools, taking it all in. This kitchen alone was bigger than my whole Chicago apartment. Marble counters. Cabinets hiding God knows what. A wine fridge that probably cost more than my car.“So,” I said, watching him roll up his sleeves, “are you ordering something crazy expensive, or are you actually gonna cook?”He gave me a look. “Excuse you, grandma. Just in case you've forgotten, I can cook.”“I know you can cook. But when was the last time you actually used this kitchen?”“Two years ago. But I boil water every now and then,” he said, smirking.I laughed so h

  • Where the ice melts    Silence

    IVY POVAs the plane finally touched down, my heart raced.My bag slung over my shoulder, I navigated through the crowded airport, my mind buzzing with everything ahead… and one person I hadn’t seen in over a year.There he was. Max. Leaning against his car, casual as ever, but with that grin that could make my knees weaken even after all this time. My chest tightened. I hadn’t seen him since last year… work had kept me in Chicago, and I hadn’t been able to make the trip.“Hey, my little poison,” he said the moment I stepped outside. His voice was warm, teasing, but something in his eyes softened when he saw me.“Max,” I breathed, surprised by how fast the words caught in my throat. I couldn’t help it…I ran toward him, and before I realized it, I was hugging him like I hadn’t breathed in a year.“You really made me wait hours just to pick you up,” he chuckled, holding me at arm’s length to look at me. “God, it’s been too long.”

  • Where the ice melts    Too late

    IVY POVMonday was already off to a disastrous start. I woke up to sunlight streaming through my blinds, groggy and disoriented… and then my phone lit up with notifications.12:00 PM.My stomach dropped. My flight was for 10:00 AM. Fuck!“No… no, no, no!” I scrambled out of bed, throwing the covers aside. My bag was still packed from the night before, at least that part was easy…but I had no time to breathe.I ripped off my pajamas, barely thinking, and hopped into the shower. The water was freezing, the clock ticking louder in my head with every second. I scrubbed quickly, trying to make it count, but the panic made my hands shake.Towel around my shoulders, I tore through my closet, grabbing the first statement outfit I could find. Suit jacket, pants, blouse… throw it on, Ivy, throw it on! My hair was still damp, so I grabbed the hairdryer, yanking at it as I ran around the apartment, my suitcase rolling behind me.I s

  • Where the ice melts    Beneath what’s shown

    IVY POVI walked back to my office, my heels clicking against the marble floor, and sank into my chair. My inbox was already full, files stacked up, but I had work to do… preparing everything to hand over to the person who would take over my current cases.Kai popped his head in, looking curious. “Everything okay? You look… pissed.”I gave him a small smile, still buzzing with adrenaline. “Blake won this round, Kai. But it’s just a round. I won't let her win the war.”I pulled out my phone, fingers hovering over Max’s number. My thumb hovered for a second, then I typed quickly:“Hey… I’m coming to your city.”Sent.My heart skipped. Relief, somehow excited I get to see Max and Zoe, and a little nervousness mingled together. This was more than what I expected… this was my life, my next challenge, and maybe… just maybe, a chance to finally prove to Steve my he should make me managing partner.I set my phone down,

  • Where the ice melts    What they’re really after

    RONAN POVI saw Ivy across the hall, her face full of shock as I got slammed to the wall.My chest tightened, my stomach dropped.“You murderer! You murderer!” he yelled.My heart pounded in my ears. I shoved him off, my fists tight, fear surging through me. I

  • Where the ice melts    Smoke and intentions

    IVY POVI froze.My fingers were clutching my phone so tightly that it hurt. The words on the screen burned into my brain, refusing to fade.“I can’t do this anymore. I’m breaking up with you.”I stared at it, heart pounding, unable to breathe properly. My chest felt like it had been ripped open.“

  • Where the ice melts    A line you don’t cross

    IVY POVThe past two weeks had been… unreal.The best we have ever had in years.Ronan’s results shot up fast. Algebra finally made sense to him. Spanish too. Sometimes he’d lean close and whisper the sweetest things in Spanish just to make me blush. With only two weeks left before our tutoring ses

  • Where the ice melts    The moment before it breaks

    IVY POVRonan’s words hung in the air.I love you.I froze for a second, my body still warm, my heart suddenly racing for a completely different reason. I looked at him, searching his face, wondering if he realized what he’d just said.Then I smiled.It warmed my chest in a way I didn’t expect. Dee

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