All Chapters of Beneath His Rules: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Ivy's pov I was in my bed, but I couldn't sleep. The sheets were twisted around my legs, and my heart hammered in my chest. All the noise from the last few days, Theo’s disgusting attitude, my constant sex moments with Dominic, my mom’s mess, was finally catching up. I rolled onto my side and stared at the window. My room was on the second floor, but the house was old, and the yard was dark. The trees and bushes were thick. It felt like anyone could be out there, watching. Then I heard it. A quiet, scraping sound. It was the sound of something dragging against the rough stone near the base of the house. I froze. I stopped breathing, trying to figure out what it was. A branch? An animal? No, that wasn't an animal. That was slow, deliberate movement. Someone was moving quietly in the dark. I heard a small, distinct crunch. Like a shoe stepped on the gravel pathway that ran right under my window. My blood turned to ice. It had to be the person who left the note, they were back.

Ivy's pov I was sitting in my room, scrolling through my phone, when it buzzed with a text from a number I didn’t know. It said I had to be at some law office downtown the next day at 10 a.m. for a meeting about the professor. My stomach twisted hard. I read it again, like maybe I got it wrong. A meeting? With who? I didn’t ask for this. I threw my phone on the bed and stared at the ceiling. My heart was pounding, and I didn’t even know why. I thought about telling Dominic, but he’d been weird lately. Like, he was all protective one second, then acting like he didn’t want to talk the next. I didn’t get him. I grabbed my phone again and stared at the text. It said “formal meeting,” “school board,” and “lawyer.” What the heck? I was expelled. Why were they dragging me into this now? I wanted to scream, but I just sat there, my hands shaking. I didn’t sleep much that night. I kept thinking about the professor, his gross hands, the way he smirked when he thought he’d won. I hated h

Ivy’s Pov He didn’t say anything, just looked at me. His eyes were all intense, like he was trying to figure me out. I hated how much I liked it when he looked at me like that. It made my stomach do weird flips. “You didn’t have to do it,” I said. “I didn’t ask you to.” “I know,” he said. “But I had to. I couldn’t let him walk away.” I shook my head. “You don’t get it. I don’t want you fighting my battles.” “I’m not,” he said, his voice getting sharp too. “I’m fighting with you.” I laughed again, but it came out more like a sob. “With me? You didn’t even tell me!” “Ivy,” he said, grabbing my arms. Not hard, but enough to make me stop. “I’m sorry. Okay? I messed up.” I pulled away, but not far. “You don’t get to decide what I need,” I said. “I’m not a kid.” “I know you’re not,” he said. He was so close now, I could feel his breath. “I see you, Ivy. I see how strong you are.” “Then why’d you do it?” I asked, my voice breaking. I hated that I was crying now. “Why didn’t you t

Ivy’s Pov I was in the garage, looking for my old skateboard. I hadn’t used it in forever, but I was bored and thought maybe I’d ride it around the block. The garage was messy, full of boxes and junk my mom never threw out. I was digging through a pile when I heard the door creak. I turned around, and Theo was there, leaning against the wall. “What do you want?” I asked, standing up. I wiped my hands on my jeans and crossed my arms. “Just checking on you,” he said, stepping closer. His voice was all smooth, like he was trying to be nice, but I didn’t buy it. “I’m fine,” I said. “You can go.” He laughed, like I said something funny. “You’re always so tough, Ivy,” he said. “I like that.” I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. I’m busy.” He didn’t leave. He kept coming closer, and I backed up until I hit the workbench. My heart started beating faster, i didn’t like how he was looking at me, like he was planning something. “You don’t have to be so mean,” he said, stopping right in front o

Ivy's pov That day, I was in my room, sitting on my bed, scrolling through my phone. Ever since the news about the professor hit, my notifications have been quieter. I had opened one app and saw a post from a girl named Sarah, who was in my old history class. She wrote, “That professor was a creep, glad he’s gone.” No mention of me, which was fine. But it didn’t make me feel good. It just reminded me of everything, him grabbing me, the school kicking me out, everyone believing him instead of me. I locked my phone and threw it on the bed. I lay back, staring at the ceiling. I kept thinking about how it felt when I saw the news. Dominic told me he leaked the stuff to the paper, and now the professor was fired. My name was clear, I guess, but it didn’t fix anything. People still knew me as the girl who got expelled. They still whispered, even if it was less now. I hated being the center of it all. My mom yelled from downstairs. “Ivy! Are you eating dinner or what?” “No!” I shouted b