All Chapters of Where the ice melts : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

IVY POVHe leaned in and kissed me softly at first… slow, careful, like he was giving me time to pull away if I wanted to.I didn’t.The kiss deepened, unhurried but full of need, his hand sliding to my waist, pulling me closer until there was barely any space left between us. My breath hitched, my hands curling into his shirt as my heart hammered against my ribs.“Fuck, Ivy…” he murmured against my lips, his voice rough, like he was barely holding himself back.The kiss turned hungry..his mouth devouring mine, tongue clashing into my mine. His thumb brushed my side, lingering, like he couldn’t get enough of just touching me. I could feel it too..the need, the wanting.My head tipped back slightly, my breath uneven, and he followed, pressing a kiss just below my jaw, then back to my lips again, slower this time, grounding himself.For a moment, the world narrowed down to the quiet classroom, our breaths, and the way his foreh

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. Deep. Gentle. Real.Still… somewhere inside me, confusion stirred. Love felt big. Heavy. Fast.He shifted beside me, a lazy grin tugging at his lips. “You know,” he said, brushing his thumb along my arm, “You sure no how to use wild words.. if anyone had told me I would hear the great Ivy Cross say fuck me harder.. I would have laughed.”I blinked. “Hey!”He laughed softly, that sound that always made my stomach flip. “I’m serious. You’re quiet and sweet on the outside…” He leaned closer, voice teasing. “Then on the inside.. Mama you’re a beast. you surprise me.”I covered my face, embarrassed but laughing. “Stop. I’m not a beast”He pulled my hands away gently, smiling at me like he was proud.

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.“W-what… what?” I whispered, my voice barely a whisper. My hands shook as I tried to press the call button, over and over, but every attempt failed. Number unavailable.“No… no, this isn’t real,” I muttered to myself, panic rising like a tide. I tried again. Nothing.Max crouched in front of me, his eyes dark with worry. “Ivy… calm down. What is it?” he said gently, but I couldn’t.Zoe’s hand found mine, squeezing it tightly. “Ivy, look at me,” she said softly, but my vision was blurring, tears spilling down my cheeks before I even realized it.“I… he can’t just… over the phone… he can’t—he can’t do this,” I stammered, my voice breaking. The sobs came hot and fast, wracking my body.I buried

IVY POVIt’s been a week since Ronan broke up with me.No calls.No texts.Nothing.He canceled all our tutoring sessions without a single explanation, like I never existed at all.I sat quietly in Professor Reyes’s office, hands folded in my lap, while she took a phone call. My leg bounced under the chair, nerves tight in my chest. The room felt too small. Too quiet.“Hey dear, sorry for keeping you waiting,” she said when she hung up, smiling kindly.I forced a small smile back and nodded.“Well,” she continued, flipping through a file, “first, I want to thank you for doing such a good job with Hale.”My heart skipped, then sank.“I know you still technically have two weeks left,” she added, “but you won’t be needing to tutor him anymore.”I sat up straighter, panic rising fast. “Did I… did I do something wrong?” My voice came out thin. “You just said I did a good job.”“Oh n

IVY POVAt Last! Finally!Finally… exam week. Just a week left, and my college life will be over. It was hard to believe it had come so fast. A mix of relief and panic bubbled in my chest. I wanted to celebrate, but it had been a roller coaster of emotions for me these past weeks.I got ready slowly that morning, choosing a casual outfit… a simple blouse and jeans. Something comfortable, something that didn’t require too much effort. Today was Corporate Law, the course I needed for my internship and law school applications. Important, yes, but my mind kept wandering.I stared at myself in the mirror for a moment, brushing my hair, taking a deep breath. I told myself to focus. Exams first. Ronan… I couldn’t think about him. Not today. Not when my future was on the line.As I left my apartment, the city humming around me, I felt the emptiness he’d left. His texts, his calls… nothing. Not a single sign of him since that day.Not a sign f