Semua Bab SEVEN NIGHTS WITH MY STEPFATHER: Bab 191 - Bab 200

IVYI woke up to the soft beeping of the IV machine and the gentle morning light coming through the window. The bed felt empty without Cassian beside me. Usually he was already there, smiling, holding my hand, or kissing my forehead the moment my eyes opened. Today, only the nurse stood beside the bed, checking the fluids dripping into my arm.“Excuse me,” I said, my voice still rough from sleep. “Where’s Cassian?”The nurse looked up and gave me a kind smile. “Oh, Mr. Cassian said he’ll be back soon. The doctor will be here shortly to check on you, then I’ll bring breakfast and your medicine.”She finished her notes and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. I turned my head toward the window. It was a beautiful sunny day outside. The sky was bright blue, almost too perfect for a hospital room. I stared at the clouds drifting slowly, trying to ignore the quiet ache in my chest. The loneliness felt heavier today. Cassian had become my whole world in this place. Without hi

CASSIAN I stood by the window, staring at the city lights flickering in the distance while Ivy slept peacefully behind me. The business card in my hand felt heavier than it should. Everett’s offer kept playing in my head like a bad song I couldn’t turn off. I didn’t want anything to do with him anymore. I knew how he worked — there was never a clean end, only more demands, more control. But the truth was simple and brutal: I needed him. If I wanted any chance to disappear with Ivy and start over, Everett was the only one who could make the arrangements fast enough. Claire, her father, Noah — they were all closing in. I could feel it. I glanced back at Ivy. She looked so small and innocent in the hospital bed, her breathing steady, one hand curled under her cheek. My chest tightened with a mix of love and guilt so strong it almost hurt. She trusted me completely now. She let me hold her, kiss her, touch her in ways that made her body respond even when her mind was still blank.

IVYLunch felt strange from the very first moment we sat down at the long dining table. The room was beautiful, with high ceilings and soft light coming through big windows, but the air between the three of us felt heavy. Cassian sat on my right, close enough that his knee brushed mine under the table. Everett sat directly across from me, watching me with a calm, steady gaze that made my skin prickle. I tried to focus on the food — fresh salad, grilled chicken, and warm bread — but every time I looked up, Everett’s eyes were still on me. It wasn’t rude, but it wasn’t comfortable either. I felt awkward, caught between the two men, like I was missing a big piece of the story that everyone else already knew.Everett finally broke the silence after a few minutes. He set his fork down and looked straight at me.“I never thought you’d survive, Ivy.”His words hit me like cold water. I paused with my fork halfway to my mouth. “I never thought I’d be here either,” I said quietly. “It’s a mir

CASSIANI pushed open the heavy door to Everett’s office without knocking, my blood already running hot. The room smelled of expensive wood and fresh coffee, but all I could focus on was the man sitting behind the big desk, flipping through papers like he didn’t have a care in the world. My fists were clenched at my sides as I walked straight toward him.Everett looked up with that calm, almost amused smile he always wore. “Oh, Cassian, what are you doing here? Is there something you want to talk about? I’m still a little busy with some files.”I stopped right in front of his desk, my voice low and sharp. “Ivy doesn’t know anything about her past. Not even the accident. I’m here because you promised to help me get out of my old life with Ivy, so you better not make her remember what happened in the past.”Everett leaned back in his chair and laughed softly, like I had told him a joke. “Cassian… Cassian… you’re so funny. Are you that panicked when I bring up something you never told Iv

IVYCassian’s lips were on mine again, warm and deep, pulling me into that familiar heat I couldn’t seem to resist. His hands held my waist through the thin towel, steady and sure, like he knew exactly how my body would respond. For a moment, I let myself sink into the kiss. My heart fluttered hard, and that warm, aching feeling spread low in my belly. I felt myself getting wet again, the way I always did when he touched me. It was scary how fast my body reacted to him now, like it had been waiting for his hands, his mouth, his closeness.But something inside me suddenly pushed back. The kiss felt too fast, too much, like everything was happening before I could catch my breath. I broke the kiss, turning my face away and pushing gently against his chest. My hands shook a little as I adjusted the towel, pulling it tighter around my body. I felt exposed, not just because I was almost naked, but because my feelings were all tangled up.Cassian looked at me, confused and a little hurt. “Wh