Warning: This chapter contains content that may not be suitable for some readers

As Ivy forced herself to open her eyes wanting to take a glimpse of Jason once last time before she launched her attack at him, she found herself in a sturdy arm.

It took her some time to notice she could not move in the dark as her breathing got heavier with the vision of Avinha brutally being held by the poison ivies sight still flashing in front of her at the ceiling.

She continued to force herself to move only to end up in tears.

Her heavy breathing and shudders woke Jeremy. With her fidgeting, while he returned to check on her to ensure she was fine late in the morning, he decided to stay awhile but again forgot to keep the night lamp lighted.

“Ivy?” He called out gently groggily.

“You’re alright?” He quickly switched on the night lamp as Ivy squealed and closed her eyes from the sudden bright lights.

Jeremy panicked as he quickly sat her up watching her struggles. He hugged her and gently rubbed her back.

“It’s alright. It’s alright.” His soothing voice was calming Ivy but she was so upset by her paracosm that she flipped over to the other side not wanting to show Jeremy her vulnerable side the moment she gained her senses. She silently sobbed instead while Jeremy then flipped her over and firmly held her in his arms which she wanted to fight with him to hide.

“Don’t. Stay. Only in the room with me, I will allow you to be this vulnerable.” She stopped fighting as she listened to him coaxing her thinking was it all still in her paracosm.

“Promise me, outside you must fight and stay strong like you always do.” He added.

“Why? Aren’t you supposed to be my enemy?” She questioned looking into his gaze which was the most gentle she had ever seen of him as she instantly held on tightly to him while she cried.

Why do I even help you in my paracosm? She continued in her mind.

Cause I made a promise to Ray. He thought to himself.

Shouldn’t I be torturing you? Teaching you a lesson? Why am I like this? Ivy, you’re too weak! Ivy questioned in mind as she let herself cry till she was tired out.

Jeremy was half worried about her while fighting sleep when she was much calmer. “You should sleep.” She finally said in a calm voice after watching him fighting sleep.

“Don’t worry about me. I usually can’t after a nightmare like this.” She told him as he put her by his side and lay down with her.

He held her hand. “Close your eyes. At least let them rest.” He coaxed knowing she would eventually fall asleep as she tried.

Just like that, they both slept on till the next morning. Jeremy was first to stir awake and slipped out of the room before Daisy was to not make her worry.

Right when Daisy stepped out of her room, she went to check on Ivy as Jeremy expected. She sat by Ivy’s bed looking at her tired face and put some loose fringe behind her ears. Ivy stirred away and sat up to hug Daisy.

“Sorry, I came home late last night. Had too much work. Are you alright?” Ivy asked as Daisy smiled lovingly and nodded.

“Thank you. Without you, I don’t know what to do with him.” Daisy’s eyes reddened as she began to sob while Ivy tried to comfort her. Daisy was loud enough for Jeremy to hear her when he approached Ivy’s room where the door was left open a little. Jeremy felt guilty as he stood wiping his tears away harshly.

“He will be fine. You will be fine too. It’s going to be alright.” Ivy comforted as Daisy hugged her tighter.

I want to believe it will be. I hope I can keep everything together. Ivy thought as she looked out the window at the pretty sight of the sunrise and distracted Daisy to take a look before they laughed at her stomach growling.

Later at breakfast, the ladies ate together. “You slept. It's a good thing.” Daisy praised as Ivy smiled briefly recalling Jeremy’s companion and his first encounter with her paralysis. It surprised her that he was so calm in handling her situation.

“Eat more…” Daisy urged before they were surprised to find Jeremy was about to head out for exercise but stalled as he scrolled his phone lazily on the couch for a moment.

The ladies exchanged glances as she teased him.

“Growing fat I see. Not going to be able to fight soon with that flabby belly.” Ivy provoked as Daisy walked off to the kitchen, covering her giggles.

“Why would you care?” He scoffed standing up as Ivy could imagine fumes coming out of his head, trying not to laugh but swallowing her laughter which was really painful.

“Cause you will be too ugly for the media and I don't want a big belly fiance. Eww, no no.” Ivy acted all disgusted before heading to the kitchen to help Daisy with the dishes, leaving Jeremy all fumed and angry as he forced his way out to run.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

The ladies were washing up while overseeing the garden outside when Ivy caught sight of Jeremy lazily strolling. She walked to the main door and let both dogs who were very eager to head out as she called out to Jeremy.

“Surprise! Hope you like your gifts!” Ivy slammed the door after leaving him caught off guard with both dogs who chased him down thinking he was playing with them.

He sweated so much by the time Ivy was leaving for work that he surrendered and let the dogs lick him all over the garden ground.

“Hmm, that gets your two million funds requested… approved.” She said with a comical voice. He was delighted for a moment as he watched her put on her stripped heels when their gaze met.

Doesn’t that hurt for her to wear that the whole day? He wondered.

“Only 50%.” She said sneakily as though rubbing salt in his wound which distracted him from him thoughts.

Before he could stand and retaliate, she walked off triumphantly leaving him to storm into the house feeling cheated. However, his mind was already churning on the idea of what a million could he do with. It definitely would keep Charles at peace for a short while and not create havoc for him or make things difficult for Ivy.

She drove to the office lobby to park the car that day and sat in Marcel’s as he drove her to the sanitarium for Ivy to meet with Permisla. The sight of her mother made her realise when days were tough and she wanted a place to hide, she should think of coming to see her mother more often as Marcel waited outside for her, giving her more privacy.

“Mummy, what should I do? Daddy is in a coma from a heart attack. His company is on the verge of being taken over. I'm in danger of standing in the line of fire… It’s getting tiring, mummy.” She whined as she sat on the floor next to Permisla’s wheelchair overseeing a window in her room.

Ivy sighed as she looked at her mother combing the baby doll's hair.

“If only I were still this small in your arms. If only I could still sit on your lap for you to comb my hair like you used to in grandma's house.” Ivy said as she teared up unexpectedly while gently placing her head on Permisla’s lap. Permisla was startled by Ivy’s sudden action and as though she regained her sanity for a brief moment, Permisla also combed Ivy’s hair.

As Ivy felt that gesture, she sobbed on Permisla’s lap holding on to her mother as though she was the only one she could rely on at that moment.

As she recovered from the visit, she tried to bury all her emotions away before heading to the office. In the car, she was reminded of her conversation with Uncle James to visit Jin soon. She let Marcel head back alone to the office after he dropped her off at the boutique.

Ivy took the chance to find Cassie and have a look at her attire for the launch during the weekend. She reminded herself that she wanted a ready-made suit for Jeremy to match her beige maxi dress too.

“There! You always look marvelous in anything you wear!” Cassie complimented Ivy’s maroon jumpsuit as she paraded it in front of the mirror.

“Great! Do you have any suit that could match this?” Ivy asked as Cassie raised an eyebrow.

“Who is it for?” Cassie nonchalantly asked.

“Have you forgotten I had a “fiance”?” Ivy said as she walked back into the dressing room to change.

“Him?! I’m not going to waste my effort on him!” Cassie scoffed.

“Well, take that it’s free marketing by him as compensation for all he had done…” Ivy said while changing.

“Why is it that everything always seems positive when it comes from you? At this rate, you can sell ice to the Eskimos!” Cassie rolled her eyes as she waited for Ivy to come out.

“If I don’t then how am I to survive till now?” Ivy questioned as she handed Cassie the jumpsuit while Cassie’s eyes darted around at her collection and pulled out a deep navy blue suit.

“Don’t say I didn’t do you a favor.” Cassie quickly wrapped the suit up with her jumpsuit.

“Cassie, could you tell me what exactly happened between you and Jeremy or perhaps his illicit business before this?” Ivy folded her arms and leaned against the counter watching Cassie hesitating.

Cassie eyed for Ivy to head down the basement as Cassie let her assistant take over the packaging. She went on to brew a pot of tea and sat with Ivy who was observing the basement.

It seemed Jin had been spending most of his time here. Ivy thought to herself.

“How’s Jinny doing?” Ivy asked trying to break the awkward silence.

“To tell you he is fine is a lie,” Cassie answered solemnly as she poured Ivy a cup of tea.

“I have been trying to keep everyone informed of my whereabouts. That’s the purpose of Ryu’s fans club now. So, don’t worry so much about me. Besides, I have been doing fine didn’t I?” Ivy comforted as she held Cassie’s hand.

“I’m more concerned about what comes next. It’s the storm that comes after a peaceful moment.” Cassie said worriedly as she sighed.

“You know how they would cheat businesses to take up loans and charge high interests. That’s just their regular. They are more drastic in their pubs and clubs. They will cheat women to think it is good money to earn in a so-called legal business only to sell themselves to prostitution thereafter. We were forced to be hostesses in these places. Almost all of the women in there are facing financial distress. Some don’t bother about themselves and do it just for money.” Cassie explained with tears as Ivy helped her to wipe them away.

“Having said so, like mother like daughter… I was born as a result of my mother being raped. Drugs were used on those women. My family background was shabby as my grandfather sold my mother to slavery. That's how I ended up in Jeremy's den and was harassed… till I was a teen when Daddy’s minions had a fallout with Jeremy’s gang... Daddy made the move to sabotage Jeremy’s activity. I was rescued and Daddy took me in to train after rehab.” Ivy sympathised with Cassie but her thoughts wondered if the real boss was really Jeremy.

“I was never registered for birth that Daddy decided to name me Cassandra; the same name my mother was called. Our relationship was kept a secret to protect me from being targeted even after Daddy retired from the underground business.” Cassie took a sip of the tea as Ivy pondered on her doubts.

“Was there any signs of Uncle Charles in Jeremy’s business?” Ivy questioned curiously which made Cassie pick up on Ivy’s doubts.

“Not that I know of back then but I figured probably cause it might be the ultimate turning point for Daddy to quit the underground business. Are you… wondering if the main culprit is…” Ivy quickly held her hand to stop Cassie from thinking further into it.

“No, just my thoughts. Guess from the looks of it, prostitution, drugs, and loaning are their main sources of income then.” Ivy concluded while figuring that she needed more details on all these activities to be able to determine if Charles was the ultimate mastermind all this while.

“The bars and pubs are their den of these activities. I wouldn’t want you to head there Ivy…” Cassie held onto Ivy’s hand worriedly as she smiled.

“Don’t worry. I always have my ways when protecting myself.” Ivy tried to keep Cassie assured as they sipped their tea, hoping Ivy’s words were true.