Chapter 187
Chapter 187
“Ivy? Baby?” Silas called softly behind her.
But Ivy didn’t stop. She was furious, and the rage felt like it could consume her whole.
Silas reached her before she could leave the hallway. His touch almost thawed her anger, but she yanked her hand away.
“What?” she snapped.
“I don’t know,” Silas said gently, and for a split second guilt took over the anger. “What’s wrong?” His eyes softened.
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She looked away. How was she supposed to explain this feeling? To admit that it didn’t sit right with her that they could fix things with money. If they could do it so seamlessly… what else had they done?
She had tried to suppress the thought, but it hit her, deep, raw and just…
She sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I don’t feel comfortable knowing that you guys pay people off… it’s weird.”
Silas lifted a brow. “Is that what this is really about? Or something else?”
Anger surged again. “What do you mean something else? Isn’t this enough?”
“It’s not. It’s pointless, and you’re just going on and on for nothing,” he said, his voice edged with irritation.
“This is not nothing!” she spat. “It’s about morals, Silas. Where are yours? You can’t just fix things with money. You–”
“Oh, but you can, Miss morals!” he snapped, cutting her off.
His interruption stunned her. “What?”
He stepped closer, his hazel eyes gleaming with frustration. “You married me, remember? And I used my money to fix your problem! From M Cheryl, to your reputation! To Geo! And now you talk about morals? Where were yours when you married a stranger to take revenge?!”
She gasped, her eyes widened.
Silas instantly looked remorseful. “Oh, baby, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have… There’s so much on my mind.”
Ivy swallowed, pain tightening her chest. Tears threatened to drop, but she held them back. “Then don’t let me disturb you.”
“Baby-”
She walked away, the pain intensifying with each step toward her room. Once inside, she slammed the door hard, almost taking down the whole foundation.
She collapsed on the bed, succumbing to the guilt and the sting of his words.
Silas was right.
Who was she to judge them when she had done the same? She couldn’t believe she had allowed herself to be used by this sick family.
to
Maybe Patrick had been right all along. Thomas might not have been responsible for her mother’s death, but the whole family were users. All of them.
She curled up on the bed, her chest tightening as the thoughts spiraled.
She lay there until the pain hardened into
anger.
“Fuck you, Silas,” she muttered as she stood and marched into the closet.
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Chapter 187
He wasn’t going to blame her for choosing this marriage when he had been just as desperate.
She filled two boxes with clothes. She wasn’t going to stay here and be spoken to like that, not after everything.
With a sigh, she picked up her phone and dialed Cole. He answered immediately.
“Hey, Cole.”
“Hey, Ivy. What’s up?” Cole said softly.
She sighed again. “Sorry to bother you, but I need a place to stay. And… with Rosie… I don’t just want to stay somewhere random.”
“You’re always welcome home.”
Relief washed over her. “Thank you, Cole. But… can you have someone come pick me up?”
“Give me thirty minutes,” Cole replied and ended the call.
Ivy’s eyes welled with tears, but she wiped them away. There was no point crying over a man with harsh words.
Her phone rang, breaking her thoughts. She sniffled and answered it. It was Aunt May.
“Hey, Aunt May.”
“Hello, my sweet girl,” May said softly. “How are you?”
“Good,” she lied. “How are you? Sorry I haven’t called you guys. How’s the baby?”
“It’s okay, dear. The baby is fine, he was discharged today. Mother is fine as well.”
The news pacified her slightly. “That’s great to hear. Thank you so much, Aunt May.”
“You’re welcome. I just wanted to let you know,” May said.
Ivy wanted to ask more about Cheryl but she decided against it. “I’ll come see you tomorrow.”
“Alright, my love. Have a lovely night.”
“You too. Bye.” Ivy dropped the call.
Sighing, Ivy sat on the bed, her mind blank until Cole called to let her know a car was waiting.
Dragging both boxes out of the room, a sudden pang of longing hit her. She was already missing the room even before leaving.
Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, Theresa appeared.
“Ivy? I was looking for you. You just left in the middle of dinner-” She paused when she saw the boxes, her voice rose with concern. “Where are you going?”
“Away, Theresa, and don’t call me, please. I just… need space from all of you,” Ivy said, dragging the boxes.
Theresa tried to protest, but Ivy was already out the door. With the driver’s help, she loaded the boxes into the car.
Just as the car hit the street, Silas began to call her. She didn’t answer, she locked the phone and shut down her thoughts until they reached home.
“Ivy!” Geoffrey exclaimed, hugging her as she stepped out of the car.
“My love,” she smiled, returning the hug.,
Cole stood nearby, smiling as she approached. “Are you okay?”
She swallowed, her chest tight. “Yes.”
Mabel rushed out to meet her. “Oh Ivy! It’s so good to see you.”
Ivy hugged the older woman too. “It’s lovely to see you, Mabel.”
“Come right in,” Cole said, while Mabel and Geo brought in the boxes. “Your old room has been turned into something else, after the whole… disowning thing, but I arranged somewhere else.”
“Thank you, Cole,” Ivy said, stepping inside.
Nothing had really changed. Except the atmosphere, of course. Patrick’s cruel vibes no longer loomed over everything.
Cole and Geo chatted, but Ivy was engrossed in her thoughts to pay attention.
Regret swirled inside her. Maybe this was a step too far? She was mad at Silas for sure, but maybe she should’ve stayed and talked it through.
Still, seeing her brothers again filled a hole in her chest, and it dulled the guilt, even for a little bit.
She walked over and hugged them. “I’ve missed you guys so much.”
“Us too,” they chorused.
Cole pulled away first. “You must be tired. Come, let’s not stress you out. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Ivy nodded and followed him to a neatly prepared guest room.
It wasn’t as cozy as her room in Silas’s house, but it would do.
“Thank you, Cole.”
“You’re welcome. Rest well. See you tomorrow.”
“Bye,” Geo said.
“Bye,” she smiled.
Once she was alone, she took a shower and went straight to bed/too afraid to be left with her thoughts.
The next morning, her phone chimed, waking her.
She stirred, stretched, and reached for it.
It was a message from an unknown number, and she read it.
“Hey Ivy, it’s Aaliyah. I really need your help. Bailey left last night and I can’t afford to waste more time. Can we do the shoot today?”
She didn’t need to be a psychic to know the day would be packed. She didn’t want to think about Silas and the photoshoot was the perfect distraction
She replied with a yes and gave Aaliyah a time. Just as she was about to call Jade, she noticed several missed calls from Silas.
“Nope,” she groaned, climbing out of bed.
Today, she was going to forget about him by burying herself in work. She quickly got ready, and left the house with just one bodyguard called Jonathan
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Chapter 187
She didn’t even see Cole or Geo when she left.
Halfway to her company, she leaned forward. “Hey Jon, can you pull up in that restaurant?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said and did so.
As Ivy stepped out, her stomach growled. She chose a quiet corner table and ordered a meal. While she waited, she tried to brainstorm ideas for Aaliyah’s
shoot.
Then a figure in all black approached her.
Her stomach knotted. She had come out with only one guard. What was she thinking?
But when he pulled out his mask, relief rose inside her.
It wasn’t Rosie, it was Mason.
First she frowned, then her heart skipped. “How did you know I was here?”
