Share

Dissolve

Author: Moonbunnie
last update Last Updated: 2025-01-31 15:46:03

Ivy’s POV

“Hey, Mom,” I said, forcing a smile as I hugged her. It was stiff, awkward, like we were strangers rather than mother and daughter. I could feel the guilt bubbling up in my chest, the memory of my outburst still fresh. “You smell nice. New perfume?” We had planned this meeting for weeks, and the closer it came, the bigger my guilt grew.

“Oh, this? It’s lavender and vanilla. I thought it’d be relaxing for the spa,” she said, her voice light but her eyes avoiding mine. “You look… radiant, as always. Modeling treating you well?”

“Yeah, it’s good. Busy, but good. How’s the painting going? Last time you mentioned a new series.”

“It’s coming along. I’m working on a landscape now. Your father says it’s too abstract, but I think it’s…” She trailed off, and we both fell silent, the air thick with unspoken words.

We walked into the spa, the scent of eucalyptus and chamomile filling the air. The receptionist greeted us warmly, but I barely registered it.

My mind raced, trying to figure
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter

Related chapters

  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   You're perfect.

    Ivy’s POVThe sun was warm on my skin, the gentle breeze carrying the scent of flowers as I lay on the soft blanket, my head resting on Asher’s thigh. We were together on a private beach that Asher had rented because he wanted to be with me.His fingers brushed a strand of hair from my face, and I looked up at him, my heart swelling at the love and adoration in his deep brown eyes. He held a grape between his fingers, dangling it above my lips with a playful smirk.“Open up,” he teased, his voice low and warm. There was a tinge of amusement in his voice.I giggled, reaching for the grape, but he pulled it just out of reach. “Asher,” I whined, pretending to pout. “You’re being mean.”“Mean?” He raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “I’m feeding you grapes. Isn’t that what doting husbands do?”“Doting husbands don’t tease,” I shot back, though my smile betrayed me. I opened my mouth again, and this time he let me take the grape, his fingers brushing my lips as I did. I chewed slowly, s

    Last Updated : 2025-02-05
  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   We have your wife

    Asher’s POVI leaned back in my chair, a smirk playing on my lips as I watched Luca and Janine whisper to each other. I shook my head, swirling the wine in my glass. “You two are disgustingly cute, you know that?”Janine shot me a glare. “Weren’t you the one who was absolutely disgusted with the idea of me being with your best friend?”I feigned a gagging motion. “I still am. The sight of you two makes my stomach churn.”Luca smirked, leaning closer to Janine. “And you haven’t even heard the half of what we do yet, and you’re already disgusted?”Janine chuckled as my expression darkened. I grabbed my wine glass and downed it in one gulp, my face contorting. “I don’t need details. Ever.”I reached for the wine bottle to pour myself another glass, hesitating for a moment as a memory surfaced. My lips curled into a soft smile. “Ivy’s Wine.” I could almost hear her laughter in my office the day we named it together.“Uh-oh,” Luca said, snapping me back to reality. He and Janine were both

    Last Updated : 2025-02-05
  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Name your price

    Asher’s POVI hopped into my car, slamming the door shut behind me. My phone was still pressed to my ear, my knuckles white from gripping it so tightly. “What do you want with my wife?” I yelled, my voice cracking under the weight of my anger. “Is it money? Name your price! Do you want shares? Inside information? Hell, take the whole company! Just give me back my wife!”My mind was racing, guilt and anger twisting together in my chest. This was all because of me. My rivals in business, my mistakes, they’d dragged Ivy into this mess. She didn’t deserve this. She didn’t deserve any of it.“Oh, shut up!” Taylor’s voice snapped through the phone, sharp and clear, no voice concealer this time.I froze, my breath catching in my throat. For a moment, I couldn’t speak, couldn’t react. I knew Taylor was capable of vile things, she’d drugged me, manipulated me, created those false images to ruin my life, but this? This was something else entirely.“Shut up, Asher,” she repeated, her tone drippi

    Last Updated : 2025-02-05
  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Choose

    Asher’s POVThe streetlights blurred past as I sped down the road, my grip on the steering wheel so tight it ached, my knuckles turning white as my grip hardened.My mind was a raging storm, nothing made sense in this moment. My vision was blurry, my heart hammered in my chest, deafening my ears. Taylor’s annoying voice replayed in my mind over and over again.“Choose, Asher. Your love for Ivy or her life.”I stepped on the brakes so hard, narrowly missing the oncoming car in the other lane. The sirens blaring in the distance meant nothing to me, not in this moment.The way she had said it, like it was a joke, like she was just toying with me, made my stomach twist. I could still hear the amusement in her voice, that sickening, high-pitched tone that let me know she was enjoying this.This wasn’t just a threat; it was a game to her, a game she enjoyed playing. But to me, it was Ivy’s life.I swallowed hard, my throat dry. There was no winning with Taylor. If I told her no, she would k

    Last Updated : 2025-02-05
  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Kidnapped

    Asher’s POVMarcus’s mouth hung open. “You were drugged, Asher? How... why didn’t you tell me?”I shot him a glare.He exhaled. “I’m your older brother, Asher. All of this happened, and I needed to know.”“It’s my problem. I would have handled it!” I snapped.“Clearly, you couldn’t,” he replied.“Marcus! Asher!” Janine interjected, raising her hands. “Ivy has been kidnapped!” She spelled it out. “That’s the priority! You can have the argument about your sour relationship and whose fault it is later.”Marcus sighed, rubbing his temple. “Alright, we need a plan. Fast. You need to speak to Taylor.”I nodded in agreement. “But Taylor is smart. She has to believe I really want her, or she’ll see right through it. And we can’t involve the police. That process would take too long, and Ivy...” I couldn’t even finish the thought.We all stood there for a moment, the air thick with tension as we tried to think of a way out of this nightmare. Then my phone rang, cutting through the silence sharp

    Last Updated : 2025-02-05
  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Janine

    Janine’s POVI sat with my phone in my hand, my thumb repeatedly pressing the screen as I scrolled through my contacts, hoping someone, anyone, might know something about Taylor. Each dial tone felt like a ticking clock, growing louder and louder as the seconds dragged on.I could hear Asher pacing back and forth behind me, his voice pleading into the phone as he called Taylor again, but she wasn’t answering. He was sending voicemails to her line. At some point, he tried to call Ivy, but her line was switched off.“Come on, come on,” I muttered under my breath, willing someone to pick up. The frustration was thick in the air, hanging between Luca and me as we both dialed and redialed numbers. Luca was quiet, but I could tell by the way his jaw was clenched that he was just as anxious as I was.“Nothing,” I said, hanging up the phone again. “No one knows anything. She’s vanished off the radar.”Luca glanced at me, exhaling sharply. “This is useless. No one’s seen her, no one knows anyt

    Last Updated : 2025-02-05
  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   My little brother

    Marcus POVI sat alone in the suite in my office. It had become my own bedroom, as I spent most of my time here. The silence was almost suffocating. It felt too quiet, almost as if the entire world had paused around me.My fingers drummed nervously against the edge of my bed. My mind kept returning to the nightclub, to the moment I saw Taylor.Her eyes had locked onto mine, cold, calculating, as if she knew everything about me in an instant. I always thought she was audacious to walk up to me, but I didn’t give it much thought.And the men she was hanging around with... they didn’t just look dangerous; they were dangerous men. Most of them were linked with the mafia.I leaned back in the chair, rubbing my hand over my face. The tension in my chest was unbearable. This wasn’t just about a woman with a silly crush on my brother. This was bigger. This was darker. And, most importantly, it involved my little brother, Asher.Normally, I’d take my time to strategize, to think things through

    Last Updated : 2025-02-05
  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   A few hours ago...

    A few hours ago...Ivy’s POVI glanced around the large hotel room, and the peach dress I was to wear was laid out on the bed. It was a beautiful fabric with sparkles that shimmered in the dark.I caressed the soft material, and a small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Asher had bought the dress for me.The night he bought it, he had given me flowers, whispered sweet words in my ear, and made love to me like it was our last night together. Oh, and he had made promises!I giggled to myself. Today was date night. He called it “new beginnings.” We had been through so much together, and he wanted us to start afresh, put all the ugly episodes behind us. I wanted that more than anything else.Max and Taylor were glued to my mind, and it didn’t help that they were nowhere to be found. I had been worried sick about them, but tonight, I was going to forget everything else, well, except Asher.The plan was simple: we were going on a double date, like a new couple. He would come from home,

    Last Updated : 2025-02-12

Latest chapter

  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Asher

    Asher’s POVThe house was quiet.For the first time in weeks, there were no urgent phone calls, no reporters swarming outside, no meetings looming over my head. The chaos had finally settled, leaving behind a strange stillness that I wasn’t sure how to process.I stood in the dimly lit kitchen, staring at the untouched glass of whiskey on the counter. I had poured it out of habit, but I didn’t want it. I wasn’t sure what I wanted.Footsteps echoed softly from the hallway, and I turned just as Ivy stepped into the kitchen. She wore one of my sweatshirts, the sleeves swallowing her hands as she rubbed her arms. Her dark hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, strands falling around her face.“You’re still up,” she said, her voice quiet.I nodded. “Couldn’t sleep.”She hesitated, then leaned against the counter across from me. “Me neither.”For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was heavy. So much had happened. Too much. And now that everyth

  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Janine

    Janine’s POVThe sun had already dipped below the horizon by the time I left the office. My shoulders ached from sitting at my desk all day, staring at numbers that refused to make sense. The vineyard was quiet, the workers gone, but the weight of responsibility hadn’t left with them. It followed me everywhere, sinking into my bones.I barely noticed Luca waiting outside until he spoke.“Come with me.”I blinked, startled. He leaned casually against his car, hands in his pockets, watching me with that unreadable expression he wore when he was up to something.I exhaled, rubbing my temples. “Luca, I have so much to”He shook his head. “Not tonight.”I frowned. “What do you mean, not tonight?”He straightened, stepping closer. “I mean you’re taking a break.”I huffed a laugh, exhausted. “I don’t have time for a break.”“You don’t have time not to,” he countered. “You’ve been running yourself into the ground, Janine. I see it. Everyone sees it.”I opened my mouth to argue, but nothing ca

  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Asher

    Asher’s POV The chair beneath me is stiff, and the air in the office feels heavier than before. It’s been a week since Marcus’s funeral, but his absence still echoes through every inch of this place. I should be used to this by now. I should have settled into my role, into this office, into the life that was never meant to be mine. But I haven’t.I press my fingers to my temples, willing the headache away. The day has been nothing but meetings, numbers, and decisions I don’t feel qualified to make. Every time someone calls me Mr. Sterling, I feel like they’re talking to a ghost.The knock on the door is soft, but it cuts through the silence like a blade.“Asher?” Ivy’s voice is warm, a tether pulling me back before I get lost in my thoughts again.I exhale, forcing myself to sit up straighter. “Come in.”She steps inside, the scent of her perfume a familiar comfort. She doesn’t look at the paperwork on my desk or the unread messages on my screen. She looks at me, really looks at me,

  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Sterling Industries

    Asher’s POV The cameras flashed like lightning, the constant clicks filling the air as journalists jostled for position. A long table stretched before us, microphones lined up, waiting to catch every word. Janine and I sat in the center, facing the crowd, our names and titles displayed on small plaques in front of us.Sterling Industries was no longer Marcus’s. It was mine now.I adjusted my suit jacket, my fingers tightening around the edge of the table. The murmurs in the room died down as the moderator stepped up to the podium, tapping the mic to test the sound.“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming,” he began. “Today, we address the transition of leadership at Sterling Industries following the tragic loss of Marcus Sterling. His younger brother, Asher Sterling, will now take over as CEO, while Janine Sterling will assume leadership at Sterling Winery.”I felt Janine stiffen beside me. I didn’t look at her, but I knew what she was thinking—this wasn’t supposed to be her role

  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Blazer

    Janine’s POVI ran my fingers over the fabric of my blazer, adjusting the sleeves as I stood at the edge of the vineyard. The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and fresh leaves. It should have been comforting. This was Marcus’s place, the heart of everything he had built. But instead of feeling connected to him, I felt like an outsider trespassing on something sacred.I took a slow breath and stepped forward, my heels sinking slightly into the soil. I had walked these rows a hundred times before, but never like this. Never as the person responsible for keeping it all together. Marcus had made it look easy, but now that it was my turn, I felt like I was holding something too fragile, something that could shatter in my hands if I wasn’t careful.As I made my way deeper into the vineyard, I spotted a few of the workers tending to the vines. They moved with practiced ease, their hands working through the leaves, trimming, inspecting, ensuring everything was as it sh

  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Marcus

    Janine's POV I stood in front of my closet, staring at the rows of clothes that suddenly felt meaningless.What did someone wear to bury a brother?My fingers trailed over the fabrics, stopping at a simple black dress. It wasn’t fancy, wasn’t dramatic, just… appropriate. Marcus would have liked that. He always appreciated simplicity, things that were neat and put together.I pulled it off the hanger, holding it against myself in the mirror.It was ridiculous, but part of me wanted to hear his voice one more time, some teasing comment about how I was overthinking this, how I should just wear whatever made me feel comfortable. He never cared about appearances as much as people assumed he did.I squeezed my eyes shut.Marcus.My perfect, impossible, frustrating brother.My mind drifted back, grasping at the memories that felt both too close and impossibly far away.I remembered the time I got into my first real argument with Asher. I was furious, pacing in my room, ranting about how in

  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Sterling

    Asher’s POV I stared at the suit laid out on the bed.Black. Crisp. Perfectly pressed.Marcus would’ve approved. He was always the one who looked flawless, the one who knew exactly what to wear, what to say, how to carry himself. I was the mess, the one who never quite fit into the image of a Sterling.And yet, here I was.I sat on the edge of the bed, gripping the fabric between my fingers. The funeral was in a few hours. People were already gathering. I needed to get dressed.But I couldn’t move.It felt wrong. Putting this suit on, walking into that ceremony, standing in front of a coffin that held my brother’s body.I should have been the one in there.I swallowed hard, pushing the thought away. Ivy would be here soon. She wouldn’t let me sit here and spiral.With a deep breath, I forced myself up, moving on autopilot as I changed. The tie was the hardest part. My fingers fumbled with it, frustration boiling over as I tried to get the knot right.“Dammit,” I muttered under my bre

  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Everywhere

    Asher’s POVThe news was everywhere.Every time I turned on the TV, there it was. Every time I scrolled through my phone, there was another headline. It wasn’t just about Marcus anymore. It was about Sterling Industries, about the board, about the future of the company.“Sterling Industries Faces Uncertain Future After CEO’s Tragic Death.”“Who Will Inherit Marcus Sterling’s Empire?”“With Marcus Gone, Can Asher Sterling Step Up?”I wanted to smash the screen every time I saw my name in those headlines. As if I wasn’t already drowning in grief, they wanted to throw expectations on my shoulders, shove a legacy into my hands like I was supposed to carry it without stumbling.I wasn’t Marcus. I never would be.The funeral preparations were already in motion, but none of it felt real. The calls, the arrangements, the condolences, they blurred together in a haze of exhaustion and pain. The house was filled with people coming and going, making decisions about flowers and speeches and seatin

  • Dumped the Scumbag, Now I'm Married to a Billionaire   Steam

    Ivy’s POVThe steam still clung to my skin as I stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around myself. The bathroom mirror was fogged over, the edges beginning to clear just enough to reflect a blurred version of me. I reached out, dragging my fingers across the glass, watching as my reflection sharpened. My hair dripped down my back, water trailing over my bare shoulders, but I didn’t move to dry it.I just stood there, staring at myself.My eyes looked hollow, the dark circles beneath them more pronounced than usual. I looked tired. I felt tired.My chest ached with the weight of everything, pressing down on me like something physical, something heavy. Marcus was gone. Asher was slipping away. And I didn’t know how to stop any of it.I turned away from the mirror, walking slowly back into the bedroom. The sheets on the bed were untouched, the pillows still fluffed, undisturbed. I had barely slept the past few nights, and it wasn’t just because of Marcus. It was Asher.He hadn’t

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status