( Ivy's POV)The high-pitched voices of Ivy and Dr. Collins broke the evening silence as they walked back to the car, their discussion now animated.This was a contrast to the hushed tones from just a few minutes ago. The streetlights shone, casting their rays on them as they approached the vehicle. Ivy was gesturing broadly, her hands slicing through the air in a sign of her agitation, while Dr. Collins nodded emphatically, her brow furrowed lost in whatever it is they were saying.As they neared the car, Ivy’s hand moved to pull the door handle when a sudden sharp movement inside caught both women’s attention. Ivy’s eyes narrowed, her hand freezing mid-motion as she exchanged a quick, puzzled glance with Dr. Collins."Did you see that?" Ivy asked, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and amusement.Dr. Collins raised an eyebrow, a slight smile creeping onto her face. "Looks like your twins are up to their antics again."Ivy chuckled softly, shaking her head as she glanced th
(Ivy's POV)The taxi hummed beneath us, the steady rumble of the engine weaving into the faint whispers from the backseat. Ethan and Lily were talking in low tones, their words a mixture of arguments and hushed laughter, lost in their own little world. I glanced at them briefly, catching Ethan’s furrowed brows and Lily’s exaggerated hand movements. A small smile tugged at my lips. Kids.I turned my gaze back to the road ahead, but my mind drifted elsewhere, inevitably pulling me back to earlier that day. Adrian. It had been years since I last saw him, and yet, when our paths crossed again, my reaction had been immediate, like a reflex. I could still feel the thud of my heartbeat from the moment I saw him, standing there, looking as handsome as ever. The years hadn’t touched him, it seemed. If anything, they had only sharpened the edges of his charm.The way my stomach had turned in that moment I couldn't ignore it. I had ducked into my car, hiding like a teenager caught staring
(IVY POV)I rushed after my kids, my heart pounding as I chased them toward the gate. They moved so much faster than I could, their small legs barely touching the ground as they sprinted ahead. My own legs, weakened by fear and exhaustion, struggled to keep up. The running about in the last few minutes, the panic that gnawed at my insides, had sapped my strength. I could feel the burn in my muscles with every step, and unlike Ethan and Lily, who seemed oblivious to the terror that still hung in the air, I was painfully aware of how fragile I had become.By the time I reached the gate, panting and desperate, I saw them both there Ethan and Lily…standing on their toes, arms outstretched, trying to reach the keys hanging just out of their grasp. Their fingers curled and stretched, but they were simply too small to reach it.“Stand back,” I muttered, my voice strained but firm. I ushered them away from the gate, still cautious, the acrid smell of dust and gunfire lingering in the a
The clock on the wall read close to midnight, but my mind was a million miles away. The hospital corridors were eerily quiet,. I should have been relieved that my shift was over, but instead, a gnawing anxiety twisted my stomach into knots. Caleb should be home by now, waiting, probably but not patiently. The thought of everything waiting for me at home dishes, laundry, him…made my head spin.“Ivy!”I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Dr. Collins’ voice. She was striding towards me, her arms full of files, and I quickly tried to pull myself together.“You’re still here?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Good, because I wanted to catch you before you left. You've been doing excellent work lately, and I’m sure a promotion is on the horizon.”I forced a smile, trying to push down the anxiety bubbling inside me. “Thank you, Dr. Collins. That really means a lot.”She nodded, her eyes softening a bit. “Of course my dear. But don’t let me keep you. Go on, get home and get s
As Caleb and I stepped through the front door, I could feel the tension hanging thick in the air, like a storm ready to break. The car ride home from the hospital had been silent, but it was the kind of silence that screamed of unspoken words, of buried resentment waiting to explode. I barely had time to set my bag down before he was on me, his eyes blazing with anger."What the hell were you thinking, Ivy?" His voice was a low growl, the kind that sent a shiver down my spine despite my determination not to show fear.I met his gaze, my own anger rising to meet his. "What was I thinking? I was doing my job, Caleb. What else do you expect me to do?""My job is to help people, to save lives," I shot back, the words coming out harsher than I intended. "Not to just stand by and let""Your job," he interrupted, his voice cold and sharp, "is to keep your head down and stay out of trouble. Not to get involved in every bleeding heart case that walks through those doors."I felt a bitter la
(Adrian POV)I adjusted my tie in the office mirror.The silk felt cool and familiar against my skin, yet there was an unease in the pit of my stomach that no amount of straightening could shake off. The tie was perfect, Grandfather had always insisted on that. Every detail had to be flawless. But today, that perfection felt hollow.It had only been two weeks since I watched them lower him into the ground, the last member of my family. Everyone else had all been snatched away in a fiery plane crash years ago, leaving me with a legacy that felt more like a burden than a gift. Now, it was just me, standing in the echo of what once was, trying to fill shoes that felt far too large.Today was my first day back at the office, my thoughts were a battlefield, the demands of the board meeting clashing with the ache of grief that gnawed at my resolve. How was I supposed to hold everything together? The company was on the brink of a new era, and so was I, though I wasn’t sure if I was stepp
(ADRIAN POV)After two extra ringaI swiped the screen to answer, tension abode in the room. “Adrian,” The barrister’s voice was steady, but there was something beneath it urgency, maybe? “We need to meet as soon as possible. Like you must have heard, there’s something regarding your grandfather's….”“You know what? Don’t bother coming here,” I cut him off, my tone sharper than I intended. “I’m coming to you right now. You hear me, right now!”I didn’t wait for his response, hanging up as I pushed back from the table. The entire board turned to look at me, surprise and confusion etched across their faces. “This meeting is over,” I snapped, already moving toward the door. “We’ll reconvene later.”I didn’t look back. The moment I stepped outside, the heat hit me like a wall, but it did nothing to slow me down. The first person I spotted outside was Caleb my chaffeur leaning against the gate, idly scrolling through his phone. I didn’t have time for this.“Caleb!” I yelled, my voic
(IVY POV)I stood there, feeling like I’d been dropped into a scene from a movie I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a part of. The Boss’s estate was even more intimidating in person than I had imagined. Everything about the place screamed power and wealth.The old barrister we met, with his polished demeanor and calm voice, spoke up, snapping me back to reality. "Miss Joan Walters," he introduced me, as if that was really my name, as if I belonged here. "This is the young lady I mentioned, Adrian. She's… a distant relative."I shifted uneasily, trying not to meet the eyes of the man standing next to us in a towel, Caleb’s boss. Adrian Blackwood. He turned to face me, and I felt like I’d been caught in a spotlight. He was really tall, his presence commanding the room in a way that made me feel even smaller than I already did. His eyes sharp, dark, and unsettling seemed to strip away any pretense, leaving me exposed, his chest was hairy.."Joan Walters, you say?" His voice was smooth bu