“Bro, I think it’s time to speed up our plan…” Jeremy said to Ray as they stood facing a huge lake in the dark. It had been their hiding spot to exchange information discreetly lately.
“Why?” Ray asked curiously.
“With your sister's departure from the company now, I want to spend more time with her. Considering the old one had followed our plans, we just need to focus on bringing down the entire narcotics and bar businesses.” Jeremy explained.
“Killing two birds with one stone I see… Alright, bring it on!” Ray accepted the challenge. “From now on we won't report a small bust and let him concentrate on the IPO instead,” Ray added as Jeremy nodded.
“Bro, could you help me with one thing?” Ray asked unexpectedly as Jeremy raised an eyebrow at him.
“Could you coax my sister to seriously consider heading back to studies?” Ray requested as Jeremy chuckled.
“The old one had just insulted her with that recently… I don’t think it’s a good time…” Jeremy updated Ray but Ray was still hopeful.
“Even then, if you could, please try. It’s my father’s wish.” Ray pleaded which reminded Jeremy of Permisla’s condition.
“Your stepmother… Apparently, do not have much time left. I promise I will try to persuade her to head back to studies but I think she would like to spend more time with her mother first.” Jeremy updated again as Ray was taken by surprise.
“Don’t worry… I promise I will keep things under control. Just do your part.” Jeremy concluded their conversation before both parted a different route to not create suspicions.
The next day, Ivy was supposed to visit Permisla with Jeremy when she got a message from Charles to invite her for a private discussion in a Chinese restaurant. She could not help but wonder what it was about. Noticing her reluctance, Jeremy assured her he would accompany her with Real and Chiang.
After the inauguration of Kyle, Charles was trying to speed up coaxing the Ophal siblings to let go of their shareholding. He had skipped his move with Ray considering he was a good advisor to him. So he decided to keep Ray as part of the shareholder and instead, he decided to attempt on Ivy first.
Charles had a habit of letting Xylo, his right-hand man scout the area before he entered. Ivy was about to step into the dining room reserved when Jeremy noticed Xylo’s habits and tried to distract him so that he could lure Ivy out first. While doing so, Jeremy threw a blade that accidentally hit too high on the chandelier and caused it to snap, killing Xylo absentmindedly.
Ivy ran out hearing the commotion as Jeremy panicked. Being quickwitted, he dragged Ivy away from the bloody scene to a hidden corner outside the reserved room when they heard Charles from afar thinking it was all cleared since Xylo had been gone for a while.
“Ivy, you need to calm down… You need to act normal and walk back in as if you just arrived. Can I count on you else he will be suspecting you…Ivy!” Jeremy was trying to knock some sense to Ivy who was so stunned and began shivering.
She had to pinch herself under her shuddering breath and tried to shake away her trauma. To give her some confidence, Jeremy kissed her as her eyes flared up with a passion for him as though absorbing the confidence he was trying to put in her as he repeated to her again.
She drew a deep breath and nodded before walking into the entrance of the reserved room nonchalantly. “Uncle you’re here! Sorry, I’m late.” She said with her usual gleefulness as Charles quickly chased her out of the place with all his guards standing in one line trying to block her view of Xylo’s death scene.
“Ai Lee, let’s cancel the meeting for another day.” He said with a sense of urgency as he hastily walked Ivy to the main entrance.
“What happened uncle? Everything’s alright? You’re…” She asked as if being concerned with Charles but Charles was too stunned at the scene earlier to explain anything other than trying to keep the scene erased as soon as possible. One thing for sure he knew, it was definitely not Ivy given how oblivious she was as he insisted on watching her leave.
Chiang drove over with Real and Jeremy to the lobby at the sight of her as Jeremy nodded slightly to greet Charles with respect. The moment the car left the main entrance of the hotel, Ivy tried catching her heavy breathing. Ivy panicked again as she shuddered in Jeremy’s arms while tightening her grip on his shirt as she rested her head on his chest, listening to his quick heartbeat.
“What exactly happened? Why is Xylo dead?” Ivy asked in her shaking breaths when their gazes met.
“There was an accident while distracting him. The metal blade overshot and hit the chandelier, sending it to fall on him. It’s meant to be.” Jeremy tried to comfort her as Ivy covered her face with her palm while struggling to catch her shuddering breath.
“It feels like someone else was in the act. The chandelier was a trap set before us heading there…” Real updated as Jeremy waved at him to not continue.
Jeremy knew better to let Ivy calm down after that. He let her sprint to her room discreetly with a pale face to avoid the possibility of bumping into Daisy and getting her worried. Ivy finds herself sitting by the French window in her room overseeing the garden. Even when Lucky scratched her door to enter her room, she could not hear him as her mind was completely overwhelmed by her trauma.
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“What happened?” Jeremy began to question Real and Chiang in the garden.
“This was the work of another gang whom Kyle had provoked. It was meant to take down Ivy…” Real updated as Jeremy held his head. “And we just assisted it?” Jeremy asked as Real looked away.
“We might end up mistaken as an alliance. Now, get some boys who are undercover to head back to the restaurant and clear the CCTV away…” Before Jeremy could finish his sentence, they were approached by a familiar figure, Jin.
“Jin… What are you doing here?” Jeremy called out in surprise.
“He was the source…” Real updated.
“Actually, Uncle James is. He just wanted to help to protect my sister better. Having said so, Charles will soon get down to it. The CCTV is settled. But it also meant Charles's side would want to get hold of the footage to see exactly what happened. That has been handled by Uncle James. Just focus on business as usual and look after my sister. Her night…” Jin wanted to remind Jeremy of her sleep paralysis when Jeremy stopped him.
“I know. I understand…” Jeremy said as Jin nodded and wanted to turn to leave when Jeremy thanked him.
“Thank you! Tell uncle I owe him one.” Jin waved without turning back as he walked off.
Jeremy continued to work on some issues at the warehouse with Real and Chiang till evening before he instructed them to monitor the situation and lay low. When he got back home, he went to check on Ivy only to find her still fighting the urge of her tears.
Lucky and Daisy went around her sniffing the moment Jeremy let them in as she struggled to keep her composure in front of Jeremy. She continued to focus on the dim light streets outside as she questioned herself over and over the reasons she was not feeling any better when the culprit assassin was dead and fate had chosen him.
Jeremy scooped her petite body up into his arms which made Ivy’s heart skip a beat as it reminded her how Jason always did and so did Ray. She recalled his confidence kiss earlier and blushed a little as she gripped the collar of his opened shirt.
“It’s not your fault Vivi. It was an accident. It was meant to be.” He whispered gently to her ears as he sat with her facing the streets. She was still breathing shakily as he wrapped her closer to him.
“But why am I not feeling satisfied that he is dead? He took your grandma. Then he took your brother too… He deserves to die but…” She finally broke down pitifully in his arms.
“Ivy, you need to stay stronger than this. Some deaths are required. They had to happen. Whether it’s cause of you or not you have to move on. The enemy is hot on their wheels. You did a good job diverting the attention earlier but it’s only a matter of time before they will figure out who caused it… By then, I will take the downfall. Besides, I already need to take a few downfalls, so I might as well.” He said calmly as Ivy who tried to control her overwhelming emotions and was listening to him shook her head in denial while her tears were shaken away.
“No, for once it wasn’t your fault… Why was Jin here earlier?” Jeremy wiped her flowing tears away.
“Are your eyes pipes now? Why aren’t they drying?” He teased trying to avoid her question about Jin as she let out a little chuckle but her eager gaze on him made him know she needed the answer.
“The informer was Uncle James. It was an accident at our end supporting our enemy who was targeting you due to vengeance with Kyle. They probably really think you were his fiancee. Instead, Xylo took the downfall.” He explained while rubbing her back to calm her who was tearing up.
“I finally understood how you chose to live your life recklessly after all you did. Perhaps it was better that way than to face the nightmare always…” Ivy said as he noted a little tiredness in her voice. He hugged her closer as she leaned on his chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. It smote her for no reason.
“But you’re different.” He mumbled as he gently rocked her.
“Thank you. You of all people, was someone I least thought I would thank but…” She was lost for words as her tears flowed once more.
“Stop crying me a river, tough pea. You’re only allowed to be this way with me in our rooms. Don’t ever show this side out there.” He tried to toughen her up as he watched her swallow back her sniffs.
“Promise me, Vivi. You would never put yourself in a vulnerable position. I know. I know you don’t need protection and everyone wants to do just that to you. You’re trying to prove yourself but you’re only human. You must be alert at all times. I promise I will guard you for as long I can.” Jeremy promised as Ivy kissed and cuddled with him till they fell asleep by the window panel while the dogs slept nearby them. Jeremy began to realise Daisy had not been home much lately as he wondered if she was with his father since the daytime cleaner would come in the morning to look after the house and the dogs.
He decided it was time to bring Ivy to visit Jason’s old house which he had refurbished with Real and Chiang the last round they were there. He let her rest on the new sofa bed overseeing the sliding door which had a projector before heading to air the place.
Ivy dreamt of the war where Avinha stood still guarding her each time while she was still a weak guardian. She trained her sword skills and gave all she could but the moment she saw how Avinha protected her by throwing himself in front of each sword attacking her way, she woke up in a startle as she screamed in Jeremy’s arms.
He was awakened and soothed her as she cried in his arms this time recalling the incident earlier. She held her palms so tight that they bled. He quickly sat her down but she did not want to let go. He then carried her to the washroom as she clung to him tightly while he switched on the downlight and tried slowly to pry open her hand in the bathtub.
“It’s alright, Vivi. It’s a dream and it’s over. I am here with you. You’ll be alright.” He coaxed as she sobbed while slowly letting go of her arm around his waist for him to treat her palms.
One thing good about him is that he was firm with his actions which made Ivy hard to retaliate. He was quick with the treatment as well and she could only follow his lead and cried whenever she felt the wound stung.
“I forgot your brother said before you would injure yourself when you woke from an intense paralysis…” He mumbled to himself as Ivy’s eyes widened at the word brother.
“Which brother?” She asked in a cracking voice as Jeremy realised he had just made a slip of the tongue.
“Thought you lose your voice…” He teased while keeping the bandages into the first aid and saw her pouting. He pulled her into his hug and placed her head on his.
“You stole my brother away…” She mumbled with a pout in tears.
“It’s going to be alright.” He sighed and assured her as he rubbed her back.