Semua Bab Filthy Vows: My Guardian’s Obsession: Bab 31 - Bab 36

The silence in the car was not a peaceful one. It sat between them like something carefully constructed, designed to last the entire ride home. Ivy could feel it stretch with each passing block, dense and unyielding, the kind of silence that took shape around a man like Victor. He did not fidget. He did not glance over. His hand rested calmly on the wheel, his posture steady and controlled as though every muscle in his body had been trained not to reveal a single thought. She didn’t speak either. The seat beneath her felt too warm. The dress she wore still carried the weight of every stare it had drawn, every whisper it had provoked. Her skin tingled beneath the silk, not from shame, but from something more tangled. She had wanted to be seen. She had allowed it. And now she waited, not for punishment, but for what always came after. That moment when Victor reminded her that no matter who had looked, no matter what had been offered in glances or drinks or subtle provoc

The morning at Halden arrived in muted light that made the polished lobby shimmer like glass warmed by dawn. People moved through the space with quiet purpose, their heels clicking softly on marble floors, their voices carried in hushed tones. Ivy paused at the threshold for a moment, breathing in the subtle shift beneath the façade. It was not a look or a whisper that told her something had changed. It was a gentle pressure in the atmosphere, as though the building itself had exhaled and was now giving her room to settle deeper into her own skin.She crossed the entry hall with steady steps, feeling the weight of her own awareness pressing against the crisp folds of her blouse. She had dressed to be unseen, but instead she felt undeniable. The blouse draped cleanly, free of wrinkle. The tailored slacks hugged her hips just enough to feel respectful of form and restraint. Each movement was deliberate. Even as the ache lingered from the night before, she did not give any sign. No favor

She stared at her reflection longer than usual that morning. Not because she liked what she saw. Not because she was trying to gather confidence or wrap herself in reassurance. She stared because something had shifted beneath the surface of her face, and she wasn’t sure yet what it was. The mirror gave nothing away. It reflected the curve of her jaw, the calm line of her mouth, the sweep of her hair tied back with careful precision. But there was a stillness in her eyes she hadn’t noticed before. A silence that didn’t used to be there.The mug in her hand had gone cold. She hadn’t taken more than a few sips, though she’d filled it with her usual. Black coffee. No sugar. No softness.Behind her, the rest of the room remained untouched. Her bed was neatly made. The robe she had worn earlier was folded at the foot. There were no signs of chaos. Nothing out of place. And yet she felt as though something had been torn apart inside her and quietly rearranged in a way she