Ivy sat beside Director Tim, watching Anna perform. What she did brought relief, mostly to Director Tim. This time when he gave Anna instructions, she followed suit, leaving no room for mistakes. She completed her final scene without flubs, and the filming progressed quickly. After she was done for the day, the director announced a dinner break, and the two actresses decided to spend the time together. "That was really nice of you. I didn't expect you to help me after the annoying things I said to you," she said with guilt, fiddling with her spoon. "Sorry about my... you know... I really don't know how to control myself sometimes..." She quickly realized the word 'sometimes' wasn't true. "Yeah... all the time." "You shouldn't have lashed out at the cleaner or physically attacked them. It's understandable you're upset, but your reaction was definitely over the top..." Ivy responded, more like a scolding. If she were in that kind of situation, she knew exactly how to mentally handle
Ivy appeared from behind with her arms crossed, staring deeply at Kate. "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, how interesting," she said with a hint of amusement in her voice. 'Shit,' Kate cursed silently; the smile on Ivy's face was sending shivers down her spine. Then she recalled her promise to Zack Anderson. 'F*ck, that man, if he finds out, he'll...' She was scared to dwell on the thoughts of what Zack Anderson might do if Ivy rats her out. "She sent you, didn't she?" The small smile on Anna's face faltered. "I doubt that you came here because you needed a job." Her face turned serious. Anna sensed the hostility between them. "You know her?" She asked, and Ivy replied with a shrug. "Yes." "You were trying to turn me against her..." Anna realized her motive. If she and Ivy hadn't reconciled, she would have fallen for it. "So it was you." Another realization hit her. "You were the one behind everything." Kate was well aware of Anna's anger and strength that outmatched h
"Cut! George, what is wrong with you today? Are you scared to hit her?" Director Tim was discontented with the fight scene George was performing. He would sluggishly feign a punch, and when hit, he would lazily fall down, making it seem like amateurish acting. That's because Ivy was the one he was supposed to hit. "Let's try again, and this time, make it look real. I don't have to teach you how to act..." Director Tim snarled and slumped on his throne-like chair. "Act 2, scene 224, Action!" It was the scene where Donna and her partner were having a sparring session. "Come at me," he gestured with his hands, bouncing up and down. Before he knew it, a jab landed on his jaw, and he fell to the ground, wincing in pain. "Cut!" Director Tim stood up immediately in shock. "Ivy, that punch was too heavy. Do you want to send him to the hospital?" "Served him right," Ivy muttered with a smug smile. George had been winking at her since the beginning of the scene, and it disgusted he
Z....Z...Z...Z...Z." George shuddered, his eyes bulged out of his sockets. He was too terrified to utter the remaining pronunciation. The man's expression was sending shivers down his spine. "Z.a...ck Anderson.." He managed to get his words straight, but his heart still hammered in his chest.Ivy sensed a very familiar presence, this made her lips curl up in delight. Who else has the power to make another frightened at the sight of him.While George trembled in fear, his hands were still holding Ivy's wrist."Take your filthy hands off my wife." Zack's voice was filled with asperity, sending a tingling sensation of horror all over George."Yes... Sorry... I'm sorry...." He withdrew his hands immediately, his legs were stuck to the ground, no matter how he tried to get them to move, they repelled with defiance.Some of the crew noticed the fuss, and it only took a few minutes to spread the word."Zack Anderson is on set!""Zack Anderson is on set!"This unexpected, dreadful surprise vi
Let's end this," she repeated. George was speechless, he continued to stare at her, and she decided to blurt out the reason she suddenly wanted to end their relationship. "You like her, don't you? That's the reason why Zack Anderson was furious." Now she understood why Ivy called him a pervert and why she intentionally hurt him during filming. "I was so blind. I thought you really loved me. I didn't know you only wanted my pussy. Well, thank you for opening my eyes. I gave you what you wanted so let's break up so you can go find some more good-looking pussy." Inwardly, her emotions were swirling, threatening to leak to the surface, but she made more effort to conceal it. "I wish Ivy would have let Zack Anderson punish you." George couldn't refute, he continued to stare at her without saying a word. Some of the crew were still present, watching the scene in front of them. If it had happened before George and Zack Anderson's case, they would have loved to gossip. Their relation
Ivy waited for his reply, but he just kept quiet. 'So he had dinner planned before he came to pick me up,' she thought with a smile, her husband was always considerate towards her.He opened the door and got out of the car without uttering a word. "He speaks whenever he wants to, teases whenever he wants to," she muttered and also got out of the car. No matter how she tried, she never understood him. He was simply too unpredictable and very good at predicting others. His personality was just too complicated for Ivy to understand.As they both entered the posh restaurant, a waiter donned in a white shirt under a red vest and a red bow tie greeted them with a smile. "Welcome to Lái xiâng shòu restaurant, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson."Beneath the smile, Ivy could see a glint of nervousness. When she looked at Zack, she found out the reason why the waiter was nervous, Zack's gaze was intently placed on him."This way, sir, your specially reserved table is this way, follow me..." The waiter's vo
Her voice was stern, which countered the smile on her face. "You will regret this." The blonde smirked incredulously, "I have the influence to destroy you, so your threats are nothing." Ivy's deadly smile never faltered; she continued gazing at him until he left stoutly. She pushed herself to stand and returned to their reserved table as if nothing happened. "What took you so long?" Zack said, dabbing his mouth with a napkin; his eyes were keenly waiting for her reply. "Sorry, I took so long." "That's not an answer," Zack snapped. Ivy furrowed her brow, then she chuckled. "Okay... if you must know, my monthly..." She paused to study the expression on his face, but unexpectedly, it was blank. "Do you really want to hear it all?" Her eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Yes," he gave a short reply, and Ivy just stuffed her mouth with her food. She obviously wasn't ready to complete the answer he was waiting for. Zack didn't inquire further and resumed his meal. "When will filmi
When Anna arrived on set, she met both Stephen and director Tim with bleak faces. "Is there a problem?" She asked. It seemed they had been waiting for her to arrive, which was kind of odd, especially with the way they were looking behind her. Stephen signaled that someone was behind her, and she turned around only to find a blonde in a crisp green suit with his hand in his pocket. He had a smug look on his face. She immediately recognized him, the annoying face that had been agitating her since their breakup, blemishing her name because she threatened to reveal his secret. "What are you doing here?" He took a step closer haughtily with a smirk on his face. "Don't you know I'm a major investor in this production?" Anna's heart sank when she heard him. She could guess what he was up to... 'if he is an investor then.....' "Why won't you leave me alone? You've turned my management agency against me, aren't you satisfied?" "I won't be satisfied until you regret how you insul
Zack stared at his tablet for what felt like forever, hesitant. He was finally going to see the one who was behind his accident. But now the weight of the moment pressed down on him. He knew this call could change everything, reveal a face he might recognize, or a stranger he would despise. He wasn't sure he was ready for either.Ivy was by his side, squeezing his arm tightly and encouraging him to do it. "Come on, Finn made this possible for you, so... let’s get it over with," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and nudging him to tap on the screen."Alright," he said finally, but as Ivy attempted to speak, a loud cry came out from the room."Lucas again," she growled and got up, placing a soft kiss on Zack's cheek. "Be right back."With that, she left, and Zack decided to get it over with as Ivy had said. He tapped on the screen, and there just what he had feared stared right back at him.Those familiar emerald eyes..."Chris. So it was really you," Zack whispered, disbelief
THE NEXT MORNING, Ivy and Zack made their way downstairs, luggage in tow, with Lucas giggling in his stroller. Lucas was babbling excitedly, clearly sensing the adventure ahead, and Ivy couldn't help but smile at her little boy's enthusiasm. Although she was still a bit hesitant about leaving, Zack's and Lucas's enthusiasm was infectious.But she had to agree a vacation would benefit them all.Just as they were about to head out the door, Xavier, their butler, rushed in, looking flustered."Wait, please!" Xavier exclaimed. "We have a visitor."Ivy's eyes narrowed, her smile faltering. "Who is it?"Xavier hesitated before responding. "It's... your..." Before he could finish, a voice cut in."Zack has woken up all this time, and you didn't bother informing us," Henry walked in, the old man right beside him.The moment he set eyes on Zack, he went straight to him and hugged him tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay, son..."Zack, caught off guard, returned the hug, a mix of surprise and conf
"Ivy, remember when I took Roy outside?" Zack said, and Ivy frowned. "Yes, of course." "I thought... I thought I saw Chris. Briefly. Just a glimpse." Ivy's eyes widened in disbelief. "Chris? But... he hasn't called since that day..." "Exactly," Zack said, his brow furrowed. "But what if... what if... I don't know...?" Ivy shook her head, dismissing the idea. "Zack, that's impossible. Didn't you say he was an imposter?" "I'm starting to doubt that 'imposter' theory," Zack said. "It's too convenient the way he operates in the shadows... it's shady." Ivy's eyes narrowed, having a hard time processing everything. If he wasn't an imposter, then why hadn't he reunited with Zack? Why was he hiding? "What if... he has a vendetta? Against you?" Ivy sprang from the bed, her head filled with fear gnawing at her. She knew what it felt like to be wanted dead, and now Zack, this childhood friend... if it's true, then it's even worse than she imagined. "Maybe we should tell Finn every
"Lucas, I'm home!" Zack announced as he stepped into the familiar warmth of their living room. Ivy smiled and quickly got beside him. "Careful, Zack," she cautioned, her hand lightly touching his arm. "Remember, you're still recovering." "Now you want me to be treated like a fragile piece of glass, huh?" Zack said with his usual smirk, and Ivy couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Yeah, that's what you are right now." Zack smirked, closing the short distance between them. "Is that so?" Ivy stepped back, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "Zack, this isn't the right place to... you know, do your usual thing..." She then said with gritted teeth, "Maria and Lucas are coming." Zack turned to find Maria smiling his way. She bowed slightly and then placed Lucas on the ground. "There he is," Zack said, his voice softening as he knelt down. He extended his arms, a wide, welcoming smile on his face. "Come here, buddy. Daddy's home." Lucas hesitated, his gaze shifting between Zack and
"Zack, tomorrow's a big day. Lucas is hitting nine months," Ivy said, her voice soft as she gently ran her hands over Zack's. "Can you believe it? Nine months already?"She tried hard to grin, but what came out was a pathetic smile. "I... started him on complementary foods, you know. He seems to really like mashed sweet potatoes with a little cinnamon. He makes the funniest face when he tastes something new, but sweet potatoes are definitely his favorite."Ivy chuckled, despite knowing that Zack couldn't hear her. The sound was more for her own benefit, a way to release some of the tension and sadness that had been building up inside.But as she looked at Zack's still face, her expression shifted. Her smile faltered, and her eyes welled up with tears.Ivy's sigh turned into a sob, and she buried her face in her hands, letting the tears flow.She had hoped Zack would wake up before their son turned seven months, but now he was nine months, still trapped in this limbo.He didn't get to
SIX MONTHS LATERIvy's hands trembled as she held the phone, Bryan's voice sounding at the other end."Ma'am, we found him last night," Bryan said, his tone gentle but firm. "The driver who hit Zack. We've got a positive ID."Ivy's breath caught in her throat. Six months of waiting, wondering, and fighting for answers. Finally, she was going to get some justice."Who is it?" Ivy asked, her voice barely above a whisper.There was a pause before Bryan responded, "Marcus Thompson. The police are bringing him in for questioning. They're going to push him hard to see if he'll talk."Ivy's grip on the phone tightened. "Will he talk?""There's a good chance he might," Bryan said. "Thompson's got a history of criminal activity. He's been in and out of jail for various offenses. If the police can leverage that, he might be willing to cooperate."Ivy's mind was racing. "How soon can they get him to talk?" She wanted to wipe that smug look off Albert's face.Bryan hesitated before responding, "W
Ivy's car halted in front of the Anderson mansion. It was the early hours of the morning, and Ivy decided to seize this opportunity to get answers.She slammed the door behind her, took a deep breath, and stepped into the mansion. She didn't bother to knock before entering.A sliver of light spilled out from the lounge, the air thick with the smell of stale liquor."Albert!" Ivy yelled, scanning the whole place. "Albert, where are you?"Footsteps sounded, and Henry appeared coming down the stairs, draped in a robe and his hair a bit messy."It's too early to yell," he said, but as his eyes landed on Ivy, a frown settled on his face."What are you doing here?""Where is Albert?" Ivy asked, and Henry's brow deepened."Ivy, why are you here? Shouldn't you be sitting with Zack at the hospital?""Where is Albert?" Ivy's expression turned serious, the one that tells you, "I'm losing my patience."Henry's eyes lingered on her for a moment before finally pointing to a corner."Turn left."Wit
"I never should have let you leave." Ivy whimpered, squeezing Zack's hand, as if trying to coax life back into his fingers. "I should have forced you to eat breakfast... maybe... maybe..."She choked on tears trickling down her cheek... "maybe you would have escaped it..." she sniffled, trying to hold back her tears, but it was no use. The dam broke, and she let out a heart-wrenching sob, her body shaking uncontrollably."How long are you going to stay like this, huh? How long before you wake up..." she mumbled. "It's only been a few hours, and I can't keep seeing you like this..."He had always been the strong one, the rock that held her together when she broke down. But now he was the one who was broken, and she was left to pick up the pieces. All she could do was hope he would wake up sooner.Ivy's sobs slowly subsided as she wiped away her tears and took a deep breath.Her chest tightened, but she pushed through, squeezing his arm with all the strength she could muster."Please w
"Shhh, baby, it's okay," Ivy murmured, pacing back and forth in the room with the crying Lucas in her arms. "Mommy's here." The nanny, Maria, sat on the couch, watching them with concern, occasionally standing up and sitting back down on the couch in frustration. Lucas's cries only intensified, his small body writhing in discomfort. He was unusually fussy, refusing his bottle and arching his back in distress. Ivy had tried everything – changing his diaper, offering him a pacifier, singing lullabies – but nothing seemed to make him calm down. Maria got up and approached Ivy. "Let me try, Mrs. Anderson," But Ivy shook her head. "No, I've got him. I just need to... figure out what's wrong." She continued to pace, trying to rock Lucas to sleep. "What's wrong, my little one?" she whispered, her heart throbbing slightly. Lucas usually didn't cry this way for this long. She glanced at the clock, wondering if she should call Zack and tell him about Lucas's behavior. But it would b