Arlo’s POVI fought back the urge to run after Lori. She had clearly mentioned the bathroom. I repeatedly glanced at my wristwatch, it was more than twenty minutes since she left. What was the emergency? Was it just an excuse? Unease set in as I unconsciously glanced at the doorway waiting for her to reappear. Unexpectedly, my phone buzzed in my inner pocket. I sighed with frustration, bringing it out to silence it, but as soon as I saw Willis’s number displayed on the screen, my expression softened. “Excuse me, dad.” I said, “I have to take this.”I walked out of the room as quickly as I could, pressing the phone to my ear.“Sovrano, sir…” he began. I paused, the voice sounded too loud, too real. I peered at the hallway, and there was Willis, standing with a bag in hand.“What are you doing here?” I asked, hiding my surprise. “Lori called sir,” Willis said, “She’s in a bit of a situation.” “What’s wrong?”Willis swallowed, looking uncomfortable as he handed me the bag in his
Ivory’s POVHe left, but I was still rooted to my spot, frozen. Unable to move. I made a joke and completely forgot about it. Could that be the reason he was grumpy all day? Because he thought I was pregnant? My hands weakened from the intensity of his voice— deep and piercing. I didn’t mean it, I promise. But now I realize that it was a mean joke. I cleaned up quickly, hoping to meet him and explain myself better. But by the time I was out of the bathroom, the hallway was empty. I heaved softly— a sigh to calm myself. I made a turn for the dining hall, hoping to see him there but just as I turned, I bumped into someone. The vanilla-scented figure apologized first, her voice just as refined as her looks. “My bad, I didn’t see you there.” She smiled. I nodded, returning her smile. “I’m alright, thank you.”She was at the table, I remember clearly. Arlo’s father introduced her as Crystal. “I’ll uh… I’ll head inside now.” I said, feeling a new wave of unease. “Congratulations o
Arlo’s POV“It will be the last time you ignore me, do you understand?” I growled, my gaze burning with anger.It was infuriating, at every level, what she did in front of Henry. She lied to me, she upset me, then ignored me?“Do you understand, Lori?““I don’t!” She retorted, “Stop yelling at me, I didn’t do anything wrong.” “You ignored me too, I don’t remember roaring at you.”I was taken aback. At this point, I couldn’t even tell if I was infuriated or impressed. I looked away, and my eyes caught Willis’s smile on the rear view mirror. We were now couples who argued in front of my friend. I sighed, massaging my forehead gently.Silence settled between us for a moment. Just when it was getting comfortable. Just when I had finally regained control of my mind, she said,“I met your ex-fiancée.” Shit! I groaned inwardly.“Apparently you’ve been engaged to her for three years. She threatened to displace me.”Willis stepped on the brakes, turning towards us as shocked as I was.
Arlo’s POV“Very well then,” she retorted, storming over to the contract on the table. As she penned down her name, it suddenly hit me, this was beyond the contract, beyond our past, it was a new phase— we were officially married. The corners of my mouth curved into a smile, and I was left stunned, wondering why I was feeling happy about this. Her voice snapped me back to reality, soft yet tainted with disappointment. “Goodnight” she said. My brows furrowed, a mix of confusion and irritation rising within me.“What you signed is a marriage certificate, Lori, pack up your bags, you’re moving to my room.”Lori gasped, her lips parted in surprise. “Another argument?” I cut in before she could speak, “Is that another argument you want to start?” She swallowed, looking away, her shoulders slumped in defeat.I watched her pack, slowly and reluctantly, one dress after another, until she was done. Together, we moved to my room. “You can take a bathe, while I get you something to eat.”
Ivory’s POV“My name is Ivory Hollis. I am twenty four years old. I graduated SNU top of my class, turned down a job offer as a production manager in one of the biggest companies in my town, married a cheat, got divorced, kidnapped in the same day, got mistaken for someone else, then got married to Arlo Covelli, and now avoided by Arlo Covelli.”“Isn’t it the other way around?” Willis spoke, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Aren’t you the one avoiding him?”“Willis, none of this is funny. Look at my profile, there’s nothing interesting about it.”“I beg to differ, you got divorced and remarried a few days later. That’s interesting to me.”“Stop, Willis. I’m serious. I’m slowly losing my mind. I can’t just sleep, eat, wake up on repeat like a baby. I need a job. Please talk to him.““Huh,” Willis sighed softly, finally raising his gaze to meet mine. “If I dare say this to Arlo Covelli,— that his wife demands a job outside being his wife— I don’t think I’ll live to tell you the feedb
Arlo’s POVThe sight of her— torn, fragile with tears staining her cheeks made me feel like a monster. Was this because we hadn’t spoken in five days? She was just talking with Willis, what went wrong. I wanted to wipe her tears all away, take her in my arms and comfort her until she was better. But that seemed like the last thing she wanted. She begged me to let her go, her voice so small and broken that it gripped my heart, squeezing it cruelly.“We talked about this, Lori..”“Stop calling me that! I am not Lori. My name is Ivory.” She said, breaking down now. “I am taking blows and jabs for a crime I didn’t commit and you say you can’t let me go? This is illegal, you know that?”“You signed a contract that says you agree to being here.”“Well, I take it back!” Her voice louder now. “I take it back, I don’t want to do it anymore. Please, please, Arlo, I’m not her.”I swallowed hard, my heart trembling in my chest. “I told you, I can’t just let you walk away, Lori.”“It’s Ivory!”
Ivory’s POVThe words came out. They were too good to be true.“I’m free to go?” I repeated, eyes widened in surprise and excitement.Willis nodded, his expression was hardened yet his eyes held the sincerity of his words.“Can I really go?” I asked again, just to be sure.“Yes, you’re free to go.” Willis confirmed. With that, he slid a few documents across the breakfast table toward me. I picked them up, brows furrowed with concern.“What’s this?”“Your marriage annulment. The Sovrano doesn’t want anything holding you back.”Sovrano. “He sent you to annul our marriage? That’s how much I’m worth to him? Nothing.”Willis let out a deep breath, and handed me a pen, “Sign the papers, ma’am” he said gruffly.“Okay that’s it!” I snapped, tossing the pen across the table. “You’ve been rude to me all morning. What did I do to you, Willis? I thought we were friends.”“We aren’t friends, ma’am. You’re my boss’s ex-wife.”“Ex-wife? Ex-wife?” I repeated, frustration building on my insides. “Ho
Ivory’s POVWhatever Willis meant by that, I knew it wasn’t good. Not only did it mean Julian was in trouble, it also meant she would hate me even more—they all would.“Quit smirking,” I snapped at Willis, jolting to my feet as I hurried toward Arlo.His steps were brisk, by the time I caught up with him, I was breath hard, my mouth open to suck in air.“Arlo” I called out. He stopped and turned.“Wait in the car.” He ordered, turning his back on me. “No, wait.” I interjected. “Get in the car, Ivory!” He roared, his voice crackling like a thunder through a storm. I recoiled, taking a step back as if his voice had struck me physically. I stepped backward, eyes widened. It took a moment for me to realize what he had said. He called me Ivory. “Wait, what?!” I blurted out, my lips broadening in a smile wider than I could control.Willis came to view and I went to his side at once.“He called me Ivory! He called me Ivory!” I sang unable to contain my excitement.Willis didn’t look as