She moved backward until her back touched the wall as her heart raced. It wasn't because of fear, but the intense gaze in his eyes gleamed with attraction, making her heart throb in rhythm with his captivating face.Zack placed his hand on the wall, blocking her way of escape as he tilted his head slightly, staring deep into her eyes. So many thoughts were flowing through his head at the moment.Ivy cleared her throat, signaling they were way too close, yet Zack was still fixed in his position. Ivy cleared her throat again, but it was like he zoned out."Hubby, hubby." There was no reply, 'he's teasing me again.'The resonating sound from his phone made her breathe in relief. She didn't notice she was holding her breath."Your phone is ringing."She told him, and he left her alone. Now that she was set free, she went to the kitchen to prepare her treat. It was what she usually did every June 28 with Irene, but as of now, she wasn't someone she should mingle with any longer. She knew s
When the production team saw that their film was hyped up because of the photo posted, they announced a press release for the film 'Wedding Catastrophe'.As Ivy saw the announcement on their website, she immediately knew she was replaced. But she couldn't quite figure out why the director went back on his word after telling her she got the role. She was very certain they were impressed by her acting. Brushing it off, she refused to feel dejected; there were other opportunities out there, she just had to find them. After the announcement, they released the poster for the film, and her eyes caught someone she recognized in the poster. She turned speechless as she saw who many would assume was her among the cast. She zoomed in to get a better look at the so-called Ivy, the dimples were seen on her cheek and those eyes......"Who is this imposter!" She couldn't help it; she had to exclaim. It was too surprising to remain silent looking at her replica; even their hair color was the same.
Do you have any idea who this is?" Susan inquired taking a sip of her coffee. "Forget who is behind that mask, let's get down to business. I want you back as my manager." Susan was all smiles, her grin made Ivy smile in response. She did miss the old days when Ivy told her she was quitting her career. Susan tried persuading her, but she insisted. She didn't tell her the reasons though; she just told her she can't continue anymore, and they parted ways. If she had told her it was because of a man, she knew exactly what Susan would say... 'Men are deceptive.' Susan too got her own share of heartbreak and betrayal. "I would love to be your manager again only when you promise me you will not take a hiatus without prior warning or reasons." Ivy smiled, "I promise." "Are you really married to Zack Anderson?" Susan was holding in her excitement. "That's old news," Ivy casually said. "OMG, how did it happen? I mean, I thought he was gay. He never spared any woman a glance." "It
The reporters looked at each other incredulously, with one thought flowing through their minds. "Are they identical twins?" "I don't remember her having any twin," said one reporter. "From what I know, she doesn't have a twin." "Why would she appear here and now? Is there a fake identity?" All those inward questions wouldn't be answered until he made a move to interview them personally. About half of the reporters went over to the new arrival, while the other half hurled another question to the other pair. A smile was plastered on their faces as they faced the reporters, so it was hard to tell what was going on in their minds at that moment. Normally in such a situation they expected to see hostilities between them, or angry expressions if they were unaware they had a replica of themselves. But their reaction was off the charts; it seemed there was a secret mind game going on between them. "Is she your twin?" one of the reporters asked the checkered-dressed Ivy Hale, and he
"There's no need for me to fight with an imposter. There are different approaches I can use to solve this, and I picked one." Ivy shrugged. Any irrational decision could backfire, and she knew Irene wouldn't want to be at the shorter end of the stick. "Then I won't get involved, after all, she's your sister." Zack already dealt with his nephew. It was Ivy's turn to resolve the problem she had with her sister. But how Ivy plans on resolving the problem was totally different from what many would expect. Ivy and Susan agreed to meet up at the villa the next day to discuss further plans and how to deal with the current situation at hand. Ivy sent her driver Louis to pick her up at the entrance of the estate. As she arrived, she couldn't stop her eyes from wandering at her appealing surroundings. "The smell of wealth." As she sat comfortably on the sofa, her eyes caught Ivy descending from the stairs wearing a chiffon dress with her hair tied up in a ponytail. At the first glance of
In front of the venue for the audition, Ivy was still seated in her car with Susan, who was scrolling through her phone."The media are still investigating. When they can't find any new stories to satisfy the netizens, they'll start assuming who the real imposter is among the two of you.""I don't think they will be able to do that before Irene makes her move." Ivy was certain of this - Irene won't just sit back and let herself get scolded by netizens when they eventually find out the truth. She wouldn't risk it."How are you so sure she would divert the attention of the media?" Susan asked, and Ivy waved her hand casually. "I'm sure because she is very manipulative."A person who could spend years scheming should be good at handling any issues that arise in the future. Before she came up with a plan to fake her identity, she must have foreseen various results of her actions. She learned that the hard way; only after she was betrayed did she realize Irene bore a grudge against her, an
Irene looked at herself in the mirror and smiled in satisfaction. She shifted her face to the side as she stroked her shoulder-length hair. Kate, seeing this, could only frown. She still couldn't understand the reason why she chose to change her appearance even in the slightest. "Why do you have to cut it?" She received a glare from Irene that made her shush. "Why hasn't Deb arrived? It's past 8 am." She didn't get any replies from Kate and turned around to see her busy on her phone. "KATE!" Kate flinched in response, "What..." "Where is Deb?" "I’m here, sorry I’m late." Debbie said as she carried her makeup box and placed it on the table. Irene shot her a stern warning, and Deb immediately understood she shouldn't dare offend her again. "You can start now, I have an interview." *** "Ivy, you should watch this," Susan said, passing her laptop to Ivy. On the screen, Irene was smiling at the audience. "Hello, everybody, welcome to this week's 'Celebrity show'. I
After asking a few more questions, the media and fans were satisfied. The purpose of the interview was accomplished as they got to know the difference between the two. "It's a pleasure to have you as our guest. If you don't mind, may I call you the 'new Ivy Hale'?" Irene smiled in response. "Okay, she doesn't mind that. I believe we all got our answers today. This is not the Ivy Hale we were expecting to announce a comeback. Instead, it's a new emerging talent that wants to challenge the industry." The host paused, then spoke in a low tone. "She is quite daring." The audience burst into laughter. The host was pleased with the atmosphere of the studio, even if the fans were disappointed that she wasn't their star. They were still glad her true identity was made known. "Today's episode has now come to an end. See you all next week." After speaking, the host stood up, and they hugged before moving to the backstage. The week's 'celebrity show' episode was one of the best they'v
The question hung in the air, thick and heavy. Ivy’s breath hitched as Nadia’s words landed like a direct blow. The anger that had fueled her outburst at the cemetery now mingled with a chilling dread. She looked at Nadia, really looked at her, seeing the raw grief and desperate need for answers reflected in her tear-filled eyes. This wasn't just about her own loss anymore; it was about Nadia's too. "I…" Ivy started, but her voice seemed lost. She wanted to deny it, to protect Nadia from the harsh reality, but the lie wouldn't come. How would she even explain that? She had let her anger take over, and now she had Nadia hearing her accusations. "Answer me. Is it true?" Nadia pressed firmly, her voice trembling... Ivy froze, her eyes wandering over Nadia's face. Her anger was long gone, now replaced by uncertainty. Should she tell her? But there was no proof yet, and she didn't want Nadia to get involved. "Ivy, answer me. 'Cause it seems like an accident to me. Why would you acc
As Ivy's screams echoed through the cemetery, Steve's face turned pale as he had become the center of attention. Ivy's words about him being a killer sent the mourners murmuring, whispering among themselves. Zack continued holding Ivy back, with Irene later stepping in. The fire in Ivy's eyes continued to burn fiercely, something Steve had never seen in her eyes before. This wasn't the same sweet, innocent daughter he used to know; he usually compared her to her mother, but Ivy had proved to be different—a drastic gap that sent his head spinning. He could no longer keep his cool; neither could he stand the scene unfolding, so he silently slipped out of the crowd, casting a brief yet menacing gaze at Ivy. "Ivy, please! Stop!" "You are not thinking clearly..." Zack and Irene's words faded into the background as Steve made his way to his car and slid into it, as though trying to shut himself off from the world. He couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that lingered inside him. Ivy
The sky was a deep, foreboding gray, as if it too were mourning the loss of Judy. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth as Ivy walked behind the hearse, her eyes fixed on the polished wooden casket adorned with a spray of white lilies, Judy's favorite flowers.As they reached the gravesite, the mourners gathered around, their faces etched with grief and sorrow. But Ivy's eyes were fixed on one person alone, one person she wished she could crush, melt, break, or kill if it wasn't against the law. Steve stood in front of everyone else, his face showing the grief more than anyone else. Many would relate, after all, it's his sister that died, but Ivy saw through that facade. It seemed Steve enjoyed killing; he should start bracing himself for his own death!"Ivy. Ivy! Snap out of it, okay?" Zack called, pulling Ivy from her thoughts. "Don't cause a scene, at least not now."Ivy didn't even realize her face was scrunched like a ball that had been crushed by a hydraulic press. She
Ivy trudged through the front door, feeling emotionally drained. The image of Judy’s lifeless body repeatedly flashed before her eyes as she blinked back the tears that had threatened to fall.She felt like she was drowning, unable to escape the overwhelming ache that had settled in her chest. It stung so much that she could hardly breathe. With a shaking hand, she reached for the sofa, collapsing into it, craving the comfort that it should offer, but it never came. All she felt was numbness that refused to go away. The pain of losing a loved one... it was so familiar, so daunting, bringing back old painful memories. Judy was gone just like that? Now she was nothing more than a memory, one she wished she could bring to life once again. Tears flowed down her cheeks, having lost the will to fight them.She took a deep breath and pulled out her phone to call Zack, the one she could lean on.Zack picked up on the first ring, his voice sweet and casual. "Hey, how are you?"Ivy sniffled, tr
The courtroom erupted into chaos, and Steve's face turned beet red with anger and frustration. He abruptly stood up and stormed out of the room. Ivy watched him go, a mixture of emotions swirling inside her. She felt a sense of vindication, knowing that Jeremy had been found guilty, sooner Steve will be next.Ivy pushed the thought aside and turned to Zack, a smile spreading across her face. "We did it," she whispered, her eyes shining with tears. Zack grinned back, pulling her into a tight hug. As they hugged, Ivy's mind began to wander to Judy. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The call from the hospital had seemed so urgent, so real. What if it wasn't a ruse? What if Judy was hurt? Ivy's smile faltered, and she pulled back from Zack. "I need to go to the hospital," she said and Zack's expression changed from celebratory to concerned. "What's wrong?" Ivy hesitated. "I don't know if the call from the hospital was real or not. But I need to check. What if Jud
The courtroom was packed as Ivy and Zack took their seats behind the prosecutor's table. Steve arrived shortly and sat across from her, his eyes cold and calculating. Ivy's heart raced as she avoided his gaze, focusing instead on the prosecutor, who was shuffling through his notes.The judge, a stern-looking woman, entered the courtroom, and the bailiff called the room to order."This court is now in session," the judge declared, her voice firm and commanding. "The case before us today is the state versus Jeremy Hale. Mr. Prosecutor, you may proceed with your opening statement."The prosecutor, a tall, imposing man with a confident smile, stood up, surveying the courtroom before beginning his statement."Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the case before us today is a heinous crime. A young woman's life was almost cut short due to the reckless actions of the defendant, Jeremy Hale. We will present evidence that shows his actions were not only negligent but also intentional."Ivy felt a
The ride to the court felt like an eternity; it was as though the car was moving at a slow pace, which wasn't the case at all. Ivy let out a big gush of air, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. She was determined to see justice served, but the news about her aunt's accident weighed heavily on her heart.She glanced at Zack, who was seated beside her, his expression a mask of calm determination."Hey, you okay?" Zack asked, noticing her gaze.Ivy nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit nervous."Zack's eyes narrowed slightly. "I can tell by the way you're playing with your nails."Ivy's expression faltered for a moment as she stared at her hand and realized she had indeed been fidgeting with her nails. She dropped her hand, feeling a slight flush rise to her cheeks. "I guess I am a bit more nervous than I thought," she admitted, trying to laugh it off.Zack smiled reassuringly and took her hand in his. "It's okay to be nervous, Ivy. This is a big day. But you're prepare
Ivy stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her blazer for what felt like the hundredth time. She took a deep breath, exhaled deeply, and nodded to herself. Today was the day she'd finally face Jeremy in court and put him to justice.The door creaked open, and she turned around to find Zack dressed in a crisp, navy-blue suit, his tie perfectly knotted. He caught her eye and smiled, his expression confident."You okay?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close."Yeah, I am..." Ivy responded, her voice low but laced with steel. "I'm ready."Zack smiled softly, spun her around, and enveloped her in a reassuring hug. "You're going to do great."Ivy's warm smile faltered as she leaned into the comfort of his shoulders. The silence between them was soothing, filled with the gentle sound of his breathing. But the shrill ringtone of her phone pierced the calm, jolting her upright.She pulled away, her eyes locking onto the screen as she hesitated. The number was unkn
Ivy sat on the edge of the bed as Dr. Harrison examined her. Meanwhile, Zack watched anxiously from the corner of the room, his heart pounding in his chest. "Well, let's see," Dr. Harrison said, his brow furrowed as he checked Ivy's vitals. "Your blood pressure seems a bit low, and you're a bit pale. Have you been experiencing any other symptoms?" Ivy shook her head. "Just nausea and this… this bleeding from my nose." Dr. Harrison nodded thoughtfully. "And when was your last period?" Ivy hesitated, suddenly remembering she hadn't really considered that. "I… I'm not sure. Maybe a week ago?" Dr. Harrison's eyes widened slightly. "Mr. Anderson, I think we should run some tests. Just to be sure." Zack's heart sank. "What kind of tests?" Dr. Harrison hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Well, given Ivy's symptoms and the missed period, I'd like to rule out a few possibilities. We'll need to do a blood test and a pregnancy test." Ivy's eyes widened in disbelief. "A pre