Chapter 85: Scorned Ivy

Ivy’s pov

My mind was frantic like scrambled eggs.

Had I been fired or replaced?

I walked past the workers, my feet moving on autopilot, and slipped through the front door. There was a lot of noise coming from the living room, so I headed there straight, my black palazzo pants swishing around my thighs under the saffron top I had on.

The scene that greeted me was so at odds with the turmoil in my own head that it felt like I had entered into another dimension.

Irene was all covered in bright blue, clinging to Gideon’s arm. "Come on, pretty please, Deon?" she wheedled, her voice a high-pitched, adorable whine as she tugged at his white sleeves. He didn’t have the suit jacket on.

"Just let me stay for a few weeks? Please?"

Kai draped a lazy arm over her shoulders, pinching her cheek with his free hand, his red skull bandana pushing back his golden curls. "We both know your father will send his entire security team to drag you back by your hair, Ren."

She shoved them both off with a playful pout. "That’s only if you two tattle on me!" As she stumbled forward, her bodyguard, Duke, moved like a flash of lightning, his hand shooting out to steady her by the waist.

"I’m not an egg, Duke," she huffed, swatting his hand away. "Go sit down. You’ve been on your feet all morning."

Duke didn’t move. He remained as stoic as a statue, his eyes fixed on her with a softness that seemed out of place on his severe, stony face. What was that about?

"Vivi!" Roman called as he walked in. His eyes found me instantly, and all attention turned towards me.

I offered a weak, awkward wave, my mind flashing back to the Maserati, to the building he had bought. The throbbing headache behind my eyes intensified, threatening to pound my brain into slop. Wet, watery slop.

They weren’t screaming or yelling at me, I thought as Ro rushed towards me, pulling me into a warm, excited hug.

For a minute, I buried my face in his plaid tshirt, inhaling his comforting cinnamon scent. The tears burned behind my eyes, but I sucked in a deep breath and held them back.

They didn’t know it was me who planted the device. They would not be reacting like this if they knew.

"You’re here!"

But as his arms wrapped even tighter around me, Kai pushed him away gently, his hazel eyes scanning my face with an intensity that made my stomach clench.

There was a knowing look in them, a deep, searching look that I couldn’t bear and had to look away, swallowing hard. I had used my contacts and made sure my disguise still held but if felt like those hazel eyes could see right through me.

"Are you okay, Miss Harpley?"

I blinked rapidly, my eyes meeting cool sapphire eyes that were drawn with concern. Why were they all looking at me like that? Could they see it?

Could they see the bloodshot eyes, the dark circles that I had tried so hard to hide?

I forced a weak, brittle smile. "I’m okay. Just a long night."

"Ivy!" Irene squealed, breaking the tension as she rushed over to me, grabbing my hands. "How are you doing? It’s so good to see you!"

"I’m... good," I managed, returning her squeeze. "Are you moving in?"

"I ran away from home!" she announced proudly, as if she had just provided world peace.

"Oh wow," I laughed lightly; that explained the moving cars and the tons of staff moving her stuff to the mansion. " You ran away with all your belongings? Not exactly running-away material, I tell you."

Kai chuckled, slinging an arm around my shoulders now. "She didn’t even need to bring half that stuff. She’s had her own room here for years. But our Irene has always been a force of her own."

"I couldn’t help it. I wanted it to still feel like my room. I sleep poorly in a different environment." Irene was already ready to cart me off, excitedly chattering, but Kai swooped in.

"Whoa there, Ren. Before you steal my housekeeper, Little Ivy and I need to talk."

"Why?" Roman piped up, his playful mood vanishing as he approached both of us. "What’s going on?"

"Oh, for fuck sake, lay off, Ro," Kai grinned, a wicked, teasing glint in his eye as he tugged me out of the room. "I’m just going to talk to her."

He led me down a hallway into a massive game lounge, complete with a pool table, arcade machines, and a fully stocked bar. He closed the door, and then he turned to me.

All the teasing, all the cocky bravado, was gone from his face; his eyes were wide with raw, unshielded worry that made my breath catch.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, his thumb gently stroking my shoulder. "For real, Ivy. Scratch that, I know you’re not okay."

There were faint circles under his own eyes as well. "Did you sleep?" I whispered.

"You turned off your phone." his voice was raspy and strained.

"It drove me fucking mad, Ivy. If I get lung cancer, it’s all your fault. I burned through my entire stash like a madman last night, just... watching you sleep."

My eyes burned with tears. It was too much. The weight of everything, it was so heavy on my shoulders. Angel, my father, Milo, they all crashed down on me.

I never thought I would be standing here, being worried over by a Knight that I was supposed to hate. By someone who saw me, who cared enough to lose sleep over me.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice dropping even further, his gaze intense. "Who was that man?"

And just like that, the dam broke. The fragile wall I had built around myself since yesterday crumbled into dust.

A sob tore from my throat, hot and painful, and then another followed, until I was crying uncontrollably, the tears I had fought so hard to hold back finally streaming down my face.