Close to lunch, Ivy's stomach started growling while they were pruning the plants. Nick couldn't help but laugh as they decided to head to Auntie Soh's shop and surprise her.

As usual, she was swamped during lunch hour with the long queue of diners wanting to dine in but mostly resorted to takeaways due to the lack of space. Ivy made a mental note to address the issue as she typed a message to Jin asking if they had any solutions in the real estate division to buy over shops next door to Auntie Soh’s shop or maybe an interior designer could help them solve creating more dining-in spaces.

Jin who was about to head into his extra classes upon receiving Ivy’s message knew she was back at work in action. A part of him was relieved as he sent the matter to his subordinate to come up with a report for him before replying to Ivy.

"It doesn't seem like you're one of the shareholders as far as I remember. That would be of your least concern." He tried sounding offended to tease Ivy but she knew him a lot better for him to be this upset.

"Oh, you're about to lose your footing at being the biggest shareholder. Word of advice, don't get too cocky." Jin laughed even harder at her reply as he sent his reply this time to the family’s group chat.

"High alert required! All shareholders of grandma's chili noodles shop, your high-alert attention is required! Our shareholding is going to be liquidated SOON! We need more CAPITAL INJECTION!"

The message made Ray and Cassandra replied with laughing emoticons leaving Ryu in confusion.

“What are you talking about? Has Jeremy intruded into the business already?” Ryu questioned as more laughing emoticons appeared from Ray, Jin and Cassandra.

“No, silly!” Jin scolded in reply. “Then, it’s nothing to be on high alert for. More money should be music to your ears.” Ryu shrugged them away. “Not like that! That’s why you’re never in the management. Don’t you see how the existing shareholders will no longer be in control and power?” Jin pointed out as Ryu began to understand what was going on.

“It’s just Ivy. The harmless little princess of our family. She doesn’t bite. Don’t worry.” Ryu comforted as Peter replied to them.

"Ophal, always an Ophal." The simple message resonates across the siblings as they each smile at the direction their family was heading especially with Ivy’s recovery. Everyone sends their thumbs-up emoticons in agreement including Ivy.

Before she knew it while she shared her messaging session with Nick to spectate, the queue reached a point where Auntie Soh spotted them both and her loud gasps and shrieks pulled Ivy’s attention all to her.

"Time to convince my client." She joked with Nick before stepping out of the queue and went into a series of slow jogs to give her a huge hug in front of the store.

Auntie Soh was speechless as she stood in tears embracing Ivy who was finally in her arms

"Oh, you're back... I'm so glad. I'm so glad you're well. And you too, good to see you out and about…" She said to Nick while embracing Ivy as he smiled and nodded watching the ladies still caught in each other's embrace.

Ivy was reluctant to let go cause it was the closest she gets to her memories of hugging her grandma. She was reminded of the times when she stayed so strong during her grandma's funeral. Auntie Soh's hugs were her only refuge back then at the thought of being an orphan.

"I have missed you, Auntie Soh." Ivy finally said as she opened her eyes and let her go for her to busy herself with her fringe and loose hair.

Auntie Soh smiled as she gently caressed Ivy's face. "Oh, it's so good to hear your voice again…" She couldn't help but cry as Ivy decided it was time to tease her to cheer her up.

"I heard there were investors now in the business. What happened to working the business well in preparation for it being given to me as an inheritance?" Auntie Soh was stunned for a moment at Ivy’s sudden turn of mood. Nick chuckled as Auntie Soh began to realise it was her brothers she meant.

Auntie Soh was smart to use what Ivy said back at her. “Well, you said I had to work the business well. There are investors how could I reject them? It's for you after all." Ivy laughed in defeat.

"Then, let me be an investor too. I am rich now. I want to be the highest shareholding even if it's by one cent if that's allowed otherwise a dollar." Auntie Soh and Nick laughed together with Ivy.

"I would certainly oblige especially when there's so many who love to give me money." Auntie Soh said before she ushered them to her special resting place and got them to sit there.

"It's a done deal. I will get the papers ready." Ivy said as she quickly texted Marcel and updated him while Auntie Soh prepared a special order for them both and quickly took over from her assistant to clear the queue in front of her to join Ivy and Nick to catch up at ease later.

Marcel was surprised as he showed the text message to Ray who chuckled out loud at the request for her shareholding to be a dollar higher than the existing highest shareholder she assumed was Jin. Ray agreed for Marcel to proceed, knowing the brothers despite the joke, would root for all she wanted.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

After lunch and the catch-up, she strolled back with Nick passed the refurbishing old town site. She observed the work in progress as Nick stood by her side.

"I wonder how's the progression on this. Would it ever be the same again?" She sighed before leaving in disappointment as Nick trailed behind her.

"Don't worry. Marcel and Ray would be doing a good job on this." He comforted her as she forced a smile.

"What was the site supposed to turn out to be?" He asked trying to liven up the mood.

She told him about how the initial plan was to rebuild the cultural exhibition and slowly they were going to rent out spaces to vendors to sell the town's cultural items from art, crafts, food, and even performances. It was going to be a tourist attraction but cause the construction tender was given to her notorious Uncle Charles out of goodwill by Peter and her counterattacks on Jeremy's involvement in using the project to fund his illicit businesses, the future seemed uncertain. In addition to her accident and before that how Jason was prepared to fight with Jeremy on this. Even more reason for her to wonder if the project will ever be completed and if it did would it still serve the original purpose.

She sat like old days in her grandma’s glass house after the stroll while Nick took a long nap into the evenings. It reminded her of the nights when she endured all alone in this house. It wasn't till Jason came along that she found her first refuge again.

She saw the succulents and a pot of ivies creeping out which reminded her of her paracosm where Avinha had kept her captured and chained to the veins of the ivies. She first wondered how was it possible till her fingers touched the veins of the ivies in the pot and realised how fibrous they were.

It made her realise that was it. That was the meaning of her name and who she had become. Strong. Unwavering. Still surviving. Not forgetting, still fighting for everything.

“Hello, my friend, solitude. It’s been a while.” She said in her mind as Daisy crossed her mind. She knew it was time to meet Daisy.

That night after dinner, Ray and Marcel were busy in a discussion of work after they presented Ivy with the shareholding papers for her to sign first before it went circulating among the other shareholders. Ivy decided to climb to her little bed in her old room when she realised it had become Nick’s room apparently.

She sat by the bed and smiled as she looked up and watch the oscillating fan. She then lay on the floor comfortably and recalled the time when it was her only companion, especially after a long nightmarish early morning.

She pointed at it but soon turned sleepy as she gave in and fell asleep.

“You’re finally awake, sweetheart…” She heard a familiar voice as she opened her eyes to gaze into a beautiful pair of brown walnut almost embers red looking back at her. She then realised she had slipped inside her paracosm and those eyes belonged to Avinha.

She could still feel the veins of the ivies supporting her sturdily but they weren’t inflicting pain on her anymore.

“Stay here till I decide what to do with you…Don’t you dare try to escape again or the life of that pest will be over in a blink!” Avinha said with a hinge of warning as he walked off. Ivy then looked up at the cube to find Jason looking down on her worriedly but when he noticed she was watching him, his eyes were slowly smiling before his lips did.

Ivy smiled back. “You came to visit me didn’t you?” He asked in his mind as she nodded, understanding that he meant his grave.

“I’m sorry… You must have wept a lot to fall asleep this way.” He apologised as she squinted her eyes. “How did you know how I fell asleep?” She asked in mind.

“You were oscillating a little but those sturdy veins kept you stable. Are they hurting you?” He replied as she knew he meant the oscillating fan. “No, they aren’t. Have you forgotten who I was before all of this?” She raised an eyebrow trying to lift up the mood as he chuckled out loud.

“The god fairy of the ivies… It’s no wonder after so much time had passed, you’re always named Ivy.” He complimented in mind as Ivy realised how much he missed his voice and let a tear slip when she heard his chuckle. It reminded her of this was probably how Auntie Soh felt earlier in the day.

He noticed the change in her expression.

“Don’t cry, sweetie…” He comforted as he held his hand out on the cube's glass as though caressing her face.

“I miss you…” She thought she said it in mind but she was also saying it out loud.

“Then sleep. Only then can I hold you again?” He urged as she obediently obliged and closed her eyes, gradually falling asleep as Jason slipped into her dream.

He was caressing her hair when she looked up at him and reached out for his face to caress in her glistening vision of him. “Where is this?” She asked in mind as he said it out loud as though able to read her mind but it was her eyes giving her question away.

“It’s like an inception. Where there's just you and me. Free to do anything.” He said briefly.

Before she could make any sense or reply to it, he pulled her in for a long kiss when she sat up.

“There, does it satisfy your misses?” He teased trying to keep her happy but instead, she helplessly let her head fall onto his chest and wept as Jason gently patted her back to comfort her.

“I miss you… I miss your hugs… I miss your everything…” She said in the midst of her cries.

“It’s alright. It’s alright… I will always be here for you.” He gently and slowly comforted her to soothe her.

Ivy realised she was hearing two voices saying the same thing when she opened her eyes to find herself couped up in Nick’s arms. He was gently rocking her and comforting her who was crying in her sleep.

She hugged him and sobbed even more as though she was in Jason’s arms again except she knew it wasn’t. She was confused for a moment about wanting to fall back to sleep to be in Jason’s arms again or afraid of having to wake Nick from his sleep with other nightmares if she couldn’t find her way to Jason.

“Another nightmare?” Nick asked when Ivy quietened down in his arms for a short while, staring into blank space.

She shifted in his arms to sit up. “I’m sorry I fell asleep by accident. I didn’t… know they let you stay in my room while I was away. I could sleep elsewhere.” She offered as he held her hand, preventing her from leaving.

“No, stay… That way I could keep guard of your dreams. And you could also do the same to mine.” He offered and that was the most comforting thing she needed at that point as she closed into his embrace.

“I promise I would only stay by your side to keep you accompany and comfort you. I wouldn’t…” Before Nick could say anything more, she lifted herself from his embrace and put a finger on his lips.

I get it… I understand.

Those were the unspoken words of her actions as their gaze met in the dark. They both understood.

For a moment Ivy pondered on the possibility of them being together but her heart ached at the thought. She knew it wasn’t love and she shouldn’t mistake it for anything more than friends. They both were still recovering from losing someone they loved.

“Thank you.” She whispered as he wrapped her safely in his arms before they slipped back to sleep peacefully till the next morning.