Ivy had been tossing in bed feeling uneasy after her shower that night. She kept recalling the conversation she had with Jeremy in the car and felt bad for upsetting him.

No, Ivy! You shouldn’t feel bad for him. You’re supposed to hate him for breaking your family up. Look at where Ray is now… She sighed wondering if Ray was doing fine as her mind replayed the kisses she had with Jeremy and blushed unexpectedly.

Oh, no, Ivy! What’s wrong with you? She groaned at herself as she recalled what Melody told her earlier as a third party looking at their relationship from afar.

Was his acting so good? She questioned herself as she gave up sleeping wanting to head down for some water. A loud thud from Jeremy’s room stopped her midway as she ran over to unlock his room’s door.

She heard his whimpers in the dark. She quickly fumbled to find the light switch to suppress her fear of the dark, only then did she notice he had fallen off the bed.

“Jeremy!” She rushed to help him up only to find he did not look very well and his body was cold.

She slowly scanned his meticulous room which she missed out on the deliberate carves of ancient designs on the pillars when she first came in when he was drunk. She scanned his bedside table and began to worry if it was alcohol poisoning as she recalled her grandma’s teaching when she used to help out at the chili noodles store.

She blinked at the sight of the open bottle with sleeping pills spilling out and could almost hear her grandma’s warning. “Do not mix medication with liquor. You are sending yourself to the death’s door.”

She shuddered as she tried to shake him awake. “Jeremy! Jeremy! Wake up!” He was a little confused and unable to focus when she pulled him to sit up.

“You took the sleeping pills here, did you?” She questioned as he nodded half groggy. She unexpectedly let a tear slip as she shuddered in disbelief at his response.

“Jeremy, are you trying to kill yourself?!” She asked in distress as she quickly pulled him to the washroom to make soap water and forced it onto him. It eventually made him vomit into the toilet bowl.

She was forcing herself to stay calm when he was vomiting. She gave a call to Real over the mobile to rush over quickly to send Jeremy to the hospital.

Upon hanging up, she let Jeremy rinse his mouth with a glass of tap water but he was beginning to lose consciousness.

“Jeremy, stay awake! Stay with me! What exactly are you trying to do with your life?! No! Jeremy, please…” She scolded as tears well over her eyes blurring the vision of his frail lifeless body. The fear of losing him began to overpower her as she was reminded of the last moments with Jason.

She quickly distracted herself by wrapping him in blankets to keep him warm. He was still fidgeting as she gently wiped his face with a hot towel and kept his hands on his side whenever he fidgeted as she forced him to remain sat up.

Daisy walked in listening to all the commotion from her room and knew something was wrong with Jeremy.

“Ivy! What happened?” Daisy asked in shock as Ivy forced herself to stop her tears. Daisy checked his temperature to find it strangely cold. She quickly wet the warm towel again to wipe his body.

“Mum, do you know what are the symptoms of alcohol poisoning or did he ever get that before this?” Ivy sounded very worried as she tried to keep herself composed. Daisy ran through her memories and remembered his body to be this cold too. Daisy was in distress as her eyes saw the tablets on the dressing table outside in his room.

“We need to send him to the hospital. Now! Ivy, hurry!” Daisy panicked as Ivy quickly held Jeremy's hands onto her shoulders.

“I have called Real and Chiang to come over…” Ivy said as Daisy nodded while dragging Jeremy down the stairs.

On the ground floor, Daisy grabbed the car keys as they struggled to carry him to the car. “We can’t wait. Tell the boys to head straight to the hospital!” Daisy instructed as Ivy quickly helped her put Jeremy in the back seat before she hopped in and informed Real over a text message while Daisy sped to the hospital.

As they reached the emergency department, Ivy could not bring herself to chase after Daisy who followed the nurses rushing Jeremy in for treatment. Instead, she squatted at the front door of the hospital and let reality sip in.

Did Jeremy almost lose his life? Why does everyone who gets involved with me end up in bad situations? First, Jason then Nancy. Then, Dad then my brothers, and now, Jeremy… Ivy could not control her tears which overflowed on their own that she did not notice Real and Chiang arrived.

Chiang rushed in to look for Daisy while Real squatted by Ivy’s side and gently patted her back.

“Real… Mum is at the emergency ward with Jeremy. He might have alcohol poisoning…” Ivy explained as she stood but at the last sentence, she looked away as her emotions overwhelmed her.

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“Don’t worry. He will be alright. Chiang had gone to check on Ma’am.” Real updated as Ivy nodded trying to lie to herself as Real knew it was uncertain but still slowly led her into the lobby.

Jeremy was fortunate as he vomited most of the sleeping pills earlier. The doctor praised the move as he spoke with Daisy. Ivy did not want to enter the room for fear of breaking down in front of Daisy who was already distressed enough. Upon hearing that Jeremy was out of danger, she slowly walked away at the wake of dawn leaving Daisy to tend to him with Chiang and Real.

She passed by the garden in the hospital and was reminded that Peter was also in the same hospital. She sat by the garden awhile to catch her breath as she watched the dawn.

She was worried about Jeremy’s body. He just recovered from a fever but heading to a cold and is now intoxicated. He was skinny but with muscles. However, his internal systems have no defense and are unhealthy. She sat wrapping her knees around her and wondered to herself.

It pays to be a villain, doesn't it? Even when you're sick and frail, you can't have any peace of mind. The shadows just don't leave you alone. She thought to herself.

Ivy compared to her situation and shuddered a little. Will I too suffer the same consequences?

She wondered as she slowly let her eyes rest and fell into a nap.

Ivy found herself surrounded by her poison ivy strands in her paracosm the moment she opened her eyes again. She could hear their hisses as she tried to communicate with them.

Can you hear me? She asked in mind.

Yes, yes, yes… She heard many of the hisses as she smiled.

Who had been your master before me? She asked before hearing gasps.

Ivy? She heard a familiar voice she once heard before but she could not make out of it.

Ivy? Can you hear me? I’m Lentil.

Lentil! She yelped in mind.

How have you been? Ivy asked as she saw the apparition of Lentil.

Ivy, listen I don’t have much time but remember the power I gave you? Ivy nodded at Lentil’s apparition.

It was to turn any flora into her weapons. Hence, now you had poison ivy strands. It’s my last gift for you. Lentil said sadly.

Could it work on Avinha? I know I need a sacrifice before I can leave the tower. Ivy asked as Lentil looked down on the ground sadly while shaking her head.

They could but it won't kill him cause he is rather immune to poison. Lentil studied Ivy’s worried face.

But a good amount would help him to lose his memory. Lentil added as Ivy was glad to learn about that.

Ivy could hear the ivies hissing to her that they needed her blood as it was the crucial element. She agreed as she made the ivies to look after him till he withered and died.

With Lentil’s apparition disappearing, Ivy saw the fourth sword being awakened and flying towards her.

She read the description of the sword.

“Loneliness.”

Ivy woke to find herself blinking away her tears as she stared at the shrub in front of her trying to calm herself from the brief paracosm encounter with Lentil.

Real has been looking out for Ivy ever since she left. He stepped outside to the garden and tapped on her shoulder while she zoned out, staring intensely at the blank space which made him uncomfortable.

“Don't stare too long into the abyss. There's no turning back if you fall into it.” Real said briefly which came as a surprise to Ivy.

“Is that where you are or rather all of you? All by yourself. Dark, cold, secluded, longing for a companion? That even in sickness and exhaustion, the shadows just don't stop torturing you?” Ivy asked as that made sense for Real who would do anything just for money to survive and would not it be the same for Jeremy who seemed to be so irresponsible with his life?

Real sighed. “You could say so. Without Jeremy, there wouldn’t be me today and the other brothers as well. Without money, there wouldn’t be any Jeremy or the team.”

Ivy then realised the bond between all of them was their brotherhood. If that was it, they would all go out to protect Jeremy, which she needed while she managed Charles and his schemes.

“From now on, I want you all to ensure he doesn’t drink so much and that he must work out once a day. At the very least a walk in the park for an hour or so.” Ivy stood and instructed as Real nodded, knowing he had to oblige as it was for Jeremy’s own good.

“Alright. I will leave him to you and Mum. I will head to work myself. Don’t worry about me.” She said knowing Real wanted to drive her as she walked back into the hall but made her way to finally visit Peter in his ward.

Peter was lying in bed alone and the only sound was the machine beeping his heartbeat. Ivy approached his bed and held his hand. It made her realise how much she missed his voice.

Daddy, what should I do? Why did you leave with such a huge responsibility?

I don’t know if I can save your company.

I don’t know if Jeremy is an enemy or a friend now.

I don’t know what Uncle Charles is up to but I have a feeling he is up to no good.

Daddy, did you actually know of this?

Did you know your brother was trying to take over your company and causing harm?

Daddy, could you wake up and tell me all you know?

Ivy pleaded in her heart while gripping tightly to his hand but there was no response.

A sudden slide of the door startled her as James stepped in, surprised to find Ivy in the room.

“Oh, Ai Lee!” James greeted her as he quickly embraced her into his heart.

“Have you been well? Must be tough for you?” James asked before letting her go as she quickly wiped her tears away.

“It’s… manageable,” Ivy replied in a quiet voice.

“Why are you here? Anything bad happened?” James questioned as Ivy shook her head.

“Nothing to worry. Jeremy was hospitalised due to alcohol poisoning. He’s fine now. I thought I should drop by to see my dad. I got to go now. There’s still work in the office.” Ivy said hastily as James nodded solemnly.

“Ai Lee, if you need any help just tell me alright? You might want to visit Jin soon.” James raised an eyebrow at her and she knew it was a signal that Jin might have intels useful to her.

She nodded. “Alright. I will make time. Take care. Thanks for helping out.” She said solemnly as James patted her head before she left.

Ivy was forcing herself to push back all the overwhelming emotions welling in her as she knew she had to put forth the incorporation of the new company plan which was suggested by John from the very beginning.