As Ivy stepped out of the car, she couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia wash over her. The old, ruined house on 5th and Main had been a place of refuge for her and Irene when they were younger. Now, it stood as a haunting reminder of the past, which she couldn't fathom: what had happened. Ivy's eyes scanned the deserted building, her senses on high alert. She had instructed the driver to drop her off a block away, wanting to approach the house on foot. She reached the entrance of the house, a large wooden door that hung crookedly on its hinges. Ivy pushed the door open, her eyes adjusting to the dim light within. The interior of the house looked exactly as she recalled, but there was something surprising. She had anticipated discovering - dusty old furniture, cobwebs hanging from the chandeliers - yet the space was immaculate. And then, she saw her. Irene stood by the window, her back facing Ivy. "Irene," Ivy said, her voice firm but controlled as she approached her.
NINE YEARS AGO "Mom, Dad, Irene, I'm home!" fifteen-year-old Ivy announced as she burst through the door of her parents' home. Coming home for Christmas was a tradition she cherished deeply. Every year, Ivy would eagerly anticipate the holidays, counting down the days until she could leave her Aunt Judy's home and return to her family's warm and loving abode. As she dropped her bags on the floor, Ivy's eyes scanned the familiar surroundings, taking in the cozy decorations and the delicious smells wafting from the kitchen. "Hello, sweetie!" her mother, Margaret, called out from the kitchen, a warm smile spreading across her face as she emerged to hug Ivy tightly. "We've missed you so much! How was your trip?" Ivy hugged her mother back, feeling a sense of comfort and security wash over her. "It was fine, Mom. I'm just glad to be home. Where's Dad?" she asked, scanning the whole living room. The moment Ivy mentioned her father, Margaret's expression shifted to irritation, but s
"Margaret, what's your problem with him?" Steve snapped, his face twisted in anger as he approached Margaret. Ivy's eyes darted between the two of them, sensing the tension escalating. She began to wonder when all of this began; she had never experienced her parents fighting before. Margaret's face remained cold, her eyes flashing with anger. "What is my problem? Seriously, Steve?" she repeated, her voice low and venomous. "You really don't know, do you? You really don't know what you've done." Steve took a step closer to Margaret. "We've talked about this, Margaret. Let's not cause a scene." But Margaret just laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "Oh really, we'll talk about this?" she chuckled, pointing towards Jeremy. "About him? Steve, aren't you ashamed to say that?" Ivy's eyes widened in confusion, unsure of what was happening. Why was her mother so upset? Irene stepped forward, her eyes locked onto Margaret's. "Mom, calm down, okay?" But Margaret just shook her head,
Margaret's eyes widened even further, and she took a step closer to Ivy. "How dare you!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the room. "You're just a child; you don't know what's going on!" Ivy stood her ground, her heart pounding in her chest. "I may not know everything, Mom," she said, her voice now steady. "But I do know that you're being really mean to Jeremy and to Dad. And it's not right." Margaret's expression turned even angrier, but she knew she could never raise her hand to slap Ivy. "You're just like your father," she spat. "You always take his side, no matter what." "That's not true, Mom!" Ivy spat in anger, her voice higher than intended. "I'm just trying to be fair. And I think you're being really unfair to Dad!" Margaret's face twisted and she turned away from Ivy. "Just get out of my sight, Ivy," she said, her voice cold. "Go to your room and stay there." Ivy felt a twinge in her heart, but she knew that she couldn't stay in the house right now. She needed
PRESENTIvy's eyes widened in shock and confusion. "Why did Jeremy follow you into your room like that?" she asked, but Irene just chuckled bitterly, her eyes glinting with a mix of sadness and amusement."You're intrigued, aren't you?" she asked, brushing off Ivy's question as she slumped back on the sofa. "You know it's your fault. If you hadn't storm off from the house, maybe, just maybe, mother would still be alive."Ivy's confusion deepened as she could sense the pain and resentment in Irene's voice. "How could you say that, Irene?" Ivy said, feeling a knot form in her stomach as she realized that Irene was once again blaming her for their mother's death. Yeah, she always does, ever since her death, and she couldn't quite grasp how it was her fault.Ivy was well aware that her words had hurt her mother, and she felt guilty for that, but Irene kept rubbing it in her face as if she wanted Ivy to feel responsible for their mother's passing. Ivy's mind flashed back to that fateful da
The sound of Jeremy's body crashing to the floor reverberated throughout the whole room, making Irene's eyes dilate in both relief and shock. Irene could hear her mother's heavy breathing behind her, and she turned around. Her eyes widened further when she met the gruesome sight. "M... Mother?" she stuttered, slowly climbing to her feet as her gaze wandered over the bloody Jeremy. There was a deep gash in Jeremy's side, her mind struggling to process what she was seeing. She felt a wave of nausea wash over her, and her knees buckled, but she managed to stay upright. The sound of her mother's labored breathing grew louder, and Irene's gaze snapped back to Margaret, her face etched with concern. "Mother... Mother, are you okay?" Irene asked quickly, rushing off to Margaret's side. Margaret enveloped Irene in a tight embrace, her breathing steadying as she looked away from Jeremy, whose hands were sliding to the side of his abdomen, squirming in pain. Irene held her mother tight
"D-Dad, please calm down—" Irene stuttered, her voice trembling. She attempted to plead again, but Steve abruptly cut her off. "Calm down? YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN!" he hollered, his breath shuddering with rage. Irene and Margaret stepped back as Steve's fury seemed to fill the entire room. Irene's eyes welled up with tears as she tried to reason with him again. "D-Dad, please... Jeremy needs help." As much as she hated to be concerned for Jeremy after what he had done, she had to divert Steven's attention to the dire situation. "We need to take him to the hospital." Steve's face twisted in anguish, and for a moment, Irene thought she saw a glimmer of the father she knew. He looked down at Jeremy's limp body, and his expression faltered. With a Herculean effort, Steve seemed to rein in his temper. "Call... call an ambulance," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. Irene nodded hastily, grabbing her phone to dial 911. As she spoke to the operator, Steve gently lifted
END OF FLASHBACK Ivy felt a lump form in her throat, her eyes widening in shock. "That's ...." She paused,her voice trembling with both fear and sadness. Ivy's eyes welled up with tears as she struggled to process the horrific truth that Irene had just spilled. She felt as if her breath had been knocked out of her. She stumbled backward, as if trying to escape the reality of her father's actions. "So that's what happened. Is that the truth?" Ivy whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. She looked at Irene, her eyes pleading for reassurance that this was all just a terrible nightmare. But Irene's somber expression only confirmed the worst. "You still won't believe," Irene said, her eyes filled with tears. "That your precious father gripped your mother's throat and slammed her against the wall," Irene finished, her voice cracking with emotion. "He took the life of the one person who loved and cared for him the most, and then he had the audacity to pretend like nothing happen
"Yeah, I don't see tears on your cheek," Susan said, her voice laced with sarcasm as she gently wiped away the tears streaming down Ivy's face.Ivy's eyes widened in embarrassment, and she quickly looked away, trying to compose herself.Susan's expression softened, and she wrapped her arms around Ivy, pulling her into a warm hug. "It's okay, Ivy. Let it all out. I'm here for you."Ivy's resistance crumbled, and she buried her face in Susan's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. Susan held her close, whispering words of comfort and reassurance as Ivy finally allowed herself to release the emotions she had been bottling up for so long.As Ivy cried, Susan stroked her hair, murmuring softly, "That's it... Don't worry about the time; we have all day."After what felt like an eternity, Ivy's sobs finally subsided, and she pulled back from Susan, her face red and puffy from crying. Susan handed her a tissue, and Ivy blew her nose, feeling a little more composed."I'm sorry," Ivy said, her voic
Susan's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly composed herself and hurried around to the driver's side of the car. "Okay, Ivy, let's get out of here," she said softly, starting the engine.Meanwhile, Anna merely stood by, observing as Ivy's car disappeared into the distance. It appeared that her pleasant chat with Ivy would need to be postponed, as it was clear that Ivy had her own issues to address. Anna sighed and shook her head, feeling a pang of concern for Ivy. She had no idea what was going on but made a mental note to reach out to Ivy later and check in on her.As she turned to head back to her own car with her PA, she noticed a figure watching her from across the parking lot. It was a man, and the moment their eyes met, the man turned away and hurried out of the parking lot."I think that's a paparazzo," her PA suddenly spoke up from behind her, having also noticed the man."Or a journalist," Anna remarked. "Either way, we should be careful," Anna continued, her eyes scann
Ivy blinked incredulously as she stared at her father. Was he being serious? "You want me to lie under oath and perjure myself to save Jeremy's skin?" she spat, her voice trembling with rage.Steve's expression remained impassive, as though nothing else mattered to him. "I'm not asking you to lie, Ivy," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "I'm asking you to... refrain from testifying for the sake of our family, and I promise I'll make sure that after Jeremy serves just a few years, he will never bother you again."Ivy laughed in disbelief. "You're kidding, right? After everything he has done, you want to manipulate the whole situation and lighten his sentence?"Steve's face darkened, and for a moment, Ivy thought she saw a flicker of anger in his eyes. But then, his expression smoothed out again, and he spoke in a tone that was almost... reasonable."Ivy, listen to me. Jeremy made a mistake, okay? He's sorry for what he did, and he's willing to face the consequences. But if you testi
Susan's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly nodded and signaled to the host that Ivy was ready to continue. Ivy took a deep breath, smoothing out her dress and pasting a bright smile on her face. She was determined to get through this, no matter what.As she walked back onto the stage, the audience applauded again, and Ivy waved, her smile never wavering. The host greeted her warmly and introduced the next segment of the show. Meanwhile, Ivy's eyes scanned the audience, her gaze locking onto her father and aunt, who were still sitting in the front row.Instantly, Ivy's anger and resentment simmered again, but she took a deep breath, determined to keep her cool. She was going to get through this, and she was going to make sure that her father and aunt didn't ruin it for her. They really had guts showing up here; whatever the reason, it didn't seem good.With a newfound sense of determination, Ivy refocused on the show, answering the host's questions with poise and confidence. She
Two days flew by in a whirlwind of preparations for the talk show. Ivy's days were filled with rehearsals, interviews, and wardrobe fittings. Susan was a constant presence, guiding Ivy through the process. Zack, on the other hand, kept a low profile, but Ivy could sense his eyes on her, watching her every move. It was as though he was scrutinizingly waiting for any mishap.As the day of the talk show approached, Ivy's nerves began to fray. She had always been comfortable in the spotlight, but this time felt different. She couldn't shake the feeling that facing an audience was a terrible idea. It wasn't supposed to be the case, but with everything that had happened lately, she needed time to heal. The nightmare and recollection had been haunting her; it worsened, and it was taking a toll on her appearance.Her eyes were always moist from crying late in the night despite her resolve not to shed tears. She couldn't brush off the pain, grief, and guilt that was eating her up.With thought
Zack shot out of bed and made his way to the door. Meanwhile, as Ivy watched him go, she felt a sense of trepidation. Who could be visiting her now?As Zack opened the door, he spoke in a low tone to Xavier. Ivy couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but she could tell that Zack was not happy.After a moment, Zack turned and walked back into the room, his expression grim as he locked eyes with Ivy."It's your manager."*****Meanwhile, Susan had already made herself at home in the living room, sitting on the couch, sipping a glass of water that Xavier had offered her.As Zack entered the room, Susan stood up, a bright smile plastered on her face. "Zack," she said, extending a manicured hand. "It's so good to see you."Zack's expression remained grim, and he ignored Susan's outstretched hand. "What are you doing here, Susan?" he asked bluntly.Susan's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "I came to see Ivy, of course," she said matter-of-factly. "I've been tr
Zack and Ivy exchanged glances, wondering who it could be. But then Ivy began to have a sinking feeling in her stomach. "I can take a rough guess," she said, slumping back on the bed and mouthing, "Judy." Zack's expression hardened, and he quickly got up from the bed and strode out of the room. "Let her in," he instructed Xavier, and Xavier nodded and hastened down the stairs. Zack followed suit. Judy was allowed in shortly meanwhile Zack had already taken a seat in the living room, his expression twisted in annoyance as he locked eyes with her. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice flat, as if bored by her presence. Judy's eyes were soft and gentle, scanning the whole room, expecting to see Ivy, but there was no sign of her. "Where is she?" Judy asked, her voice slightly trembling, her eyes scanning the room again as if hoping to catch a glimpse of Ivy. Zack's expression remained impassive, his arms crossed over his chest. "She's not available to see you right now,"
Zack's arms wrapped tightly around Ivy, holding her close as she sobbed uncontrollably. He knew a storm was raging within her. He had somewhat expected she would feel broken, but this—it was way more than he had anticipated. She wasn't just broken; she was shattered. The pain and anguish that ravaged her face was evident.Zack held her close, trying to absorb some of the pain that seemed to be tearing her apart. The truth behind her emotions seemed to be consuming her.Ivy's sobs slowly began to subside, and she pulled back from Zack, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She looked up at him, and for a moment, their eyes locked in a silent understanding."Ivy," Zack whispered, his voice barely audible. "I'm sorry about your mom. Irene told me everything."Ivy's eyes searched Zack's face for a moment before she wiped her tears. "She did?"Zack nodded and took her hands in his, his eyes locked on hers. "Whatever happened was devastating, and I'm extremely worried about you." He hesitated
Ivy tossed and turned relentlessly in her bed, her eyes fluttering open to a scene that felt all too real. She was standing in her living room, but it wasn't the warm and cozy space she knew. It was cold and tense, with police officers looming over her dad."Mr. Steve, I'm afraid with the evidence we found, we need to take you in for questioning," one of the officers said, his voice firm but polite.Steve's face was pale with shock, his eyes wide with fear. "What evidence?" he demanded, his voice trembling.The officer hesitated, his expression unreadable. "We can't disclose that right now. But we do have enough to arrest you on suspicion of murder."Steve repeated, his voice shaking, "Murder? No... I didn't kill anyone."The officer's expression remained stern. "Steve, please turn around and put your hands behind your back. You're under arrest."Ivy watched in horror as the officers handcuffed her dad and led him away. She tried to scream, but her voice was frozen in her throat.She