Chapter 132: A CEO Doesn't Cry

“What the hell?!” Ivy gasped as pain shot through her bones.

Silas turned to face her, shock in his eyes, but Kim had her hands around his neck, holding him down so he couldn’t stand. “Ivy! Wait!” Silas shouted, his voice filled with disbelief.

But the mischief in Kim’s eyes and the smirk on her lips pushed Ivy out the door. She ran downstairs, ignoring the heels she had on.

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, heart pounding with pain. She couldn’t believe that Silas would do this after everything.

She dashed towards the hall, away from all the guests. She couldn’t have someone see her looking like this. But as she turned towards the hallway, she heard her name.

“Ivy!”

She turned to the voice and realized it was Aunt May. “Hey,” she said, trying to keep the pain out of her voice. “Congratulations, my sweet–what’s wrong?” May asked, her voice filled with concern as she came closer.

Ivy pinched herself to stop her tears from falling. What was she supposed to tell her aunt? That on a very important day of hers, she found Silas kissing his ex after making sweet love to her yesterday?

Of course not.

So she swallowed and plastered a smile on her face. “Nothing, Aunt May. I’m just very excited about everything.”

“Oh, my girl,” May said, pulling Ivy in for a hug. “You deserve it, congratulations.”

Ivy rested in her aunt’s arms; the familiar comfort surged through her body. Ivy tried to control the emotions building up in her chest, but she couldn’t, and so the tears fell.

“Oh, Ivy.” May’s voice was soft as she ran her hand through Ivy’s back, consoling her.

Ivy cried in her aunt’s arms for a little longer.

“Ivy, dear, is there more? Is everything alright?”

“Yes,” Ivy lied as she straightened up. “I’m just… tired is all. I… it took a long time to get here.”

“And look at you now,” May said, her voice swelling with pride as she brought out a handkerchief from her bag and gave it to Ivy. “I’m so proud of you.”

Ivy laughed through her tears as she wiped her eyes. “Thank you, Aunt May.”

“Come on, wipe those tears. A CEO doesn’t cry,” May teased.

Ivy laughed deeply, her tension fading. “Thank you for reminding me.”

“You’re a badass, never forget that,” May said, giving her another hug. “Thank you,” Ivy smiled. “I hope you enjoyed the party?”

“Oh I did. The food was great!” May cheered. “Rita sent her greetings.”

“How are she and Ryan doing? Sorry I haven’t come to see you guys.”

“They are good,” May said with a warm smile. “We understand how busy you’ve been.”

“Why didn’t Rita come? It would have been nice to see her,” Ivy said, her brow creasing with concern.

“Well, you know…” May’s voice softened. “We saw that Theresa… would be here, and she didn’t want to ruin the day.”

Ivy sighed, fiddling with the handkerchief. “I wish things weren’t so complicated.”

May reached for Ivy’s hand and gave her a squeeze. “They both need time, I’m sure it will happen soon.”

Ivy nodded, releasing a tight smile. She didn’t want to imagine how both women must be feeling, and judging by Theresa’s recent behavior, she could bet Rita was the same or even worse.

From the corner of her eye, Ivy saw Rosie slip off in the other direction. The emotions she had forgotten surged through her, with anger leading.

She turned to her aunt, but her eyes were still towards Rosie. “Aunt May… Can I catch up with you later?”

“Sure, I’m still around.”

“Alright then. Enjoy the party,” Ivy smiled at her, looking at her briefly before proceeding towards the direction Rosie took. Quickly, she walked, hoping to catch up with Rosie. Just as she turned towards the corner, Ivy saw Rosie push open a door.

She fixed her hair, her eyes with that. "The party or there, they may have weeded you into my house." "You use her foolishly; don't want work to you." "But why do you show up weeks when she caught up with Rose?" She gained Rosie's arm, forcing her to stop. "Why fuse with her when she was with Silas all along?"

"Why fuse?" she said. "Confusion elected all of these, but why did she do it before?"

Bond glowed in that step by step, chopping her hand. "You suppose that I didn't allow you to the photoshoot? That's why you do?"

"Who's first in the confusion?" Ivy charged, knowing anger was pissed. "Yes, hurt deeply. But I don't know what the fuck you are getting at. But you do! Stop pretending! Did you seek Kim out with Silas just to get back at me? And it worked. They are back together, kissing and shit!"

Rosie blinked. "We missed tests..."

Ivy took a step backwards. She is serious, but no words came out. So Rosie didn't set this up, or was she lying?

As if Rosie read Ivy's thoughts, she stepped forward. "If you think I sought Kim out with Silas after Thomas asked me to stop talking to her, then you're weird."

Ivy shook her head, refusing to believe. "But you wanted them together. You told me that plenty of times."

Rosie’s eyes softened. “Yes, I did, and that was before I knew what she was about. I can’t stay friends with her anymore."

Ivy blinked at the honesty on Rosie’s face. She had to be a pretty good actress to pull off that look, or she was simply delivering the truth.

“Where did you see her? Which room? I can’t have her here. Thomas would kill me.”

The fight in Rosie’s eyes got delayed, and without thinking, she touched Rosie’s hand. Her heart fluttered with concern, yet curiosity nagged at her.

“What happened? She is your friend, right?”

“Used to be,” Rosie said sadly. “Until I found out she’s a liar and a con artist.”

Ivy blinked rapidly, trying to process and understand everything. “I’m confused.”

Rosie sighed and looked into Ivy’s eyes. There, Ivy saw hesitation. “Kim lied about the accidents.”

“All the time she was in Silas’s house, all the hospital visits I did, all the casts and bruises—they were all lies,” Rosie said solemnly.

Ivy narrowed her eyes in disbelief, studying Rosie, waiting for her to admit it was a joke.

But Rosie didn’t; instead, her shoulders slumped. “I was such a fool to believe her. I was so stupid to try and get her back together with Silas after everything. I’m sorry, Ivy. You have every right not to include me in your photoshoot.”

“Oh,” Ivy whispered, thoughts racing through her mind. “I didn’t know all that. I am the one who’s sorry.”

Rosie bit her lip and nodded. “So much for friendship," she said, her voice cracking with emotion, her eyes shining with sadness.

The guilt tightened in Ivy’s chest as her cheeks turned pink.

“I have to find her now,” Rosie said, her voice suddenly sharp. “Thomas can’t know she’s here.”

Ivy nodded. “I saw them upstairs, in the first room.”

Rosie smiled; it was the first time Ivy was seeing her genuine smile. “Thank you. Once I take care of this, we’ll talk.”

“Sure,” Ivy smiled as well, watching as Rosie left.

Barely a moment later, just as she was about to process the whole situation, she heard a shuffling of feet.

She turned, scared that she wasn’t alone.

“Ivy.”

She gasped, stiffened with shock as Dylan folded his arms, standing across from her.

The smirk on his lips got to her, and anger replaced the shock. “What are you doing here?”

“Congratulations on your company,” Dylan replied instead, purposely avoiding her question.

“How did you get here?” Ivy asked, moving back cautiously.

She didn’t trust this man, and his attitude made it even harder not to.

“I always have my way,” he chuckled confidently. Then his brow furrowed. “Why are you moving away? Are you afraid of me?”

“You wish,” she said firmly. “What happened the last time is definitely not happening again.”

Dylan laughed, tapping his stomach and stomping his feet. She listened to the ugly sound, her senses sharp in case he tried to play smart.

Dylan’s eyes traveled somewhere behind her briefly before they shone with mischief.

“Did you tell your husband about it?”

“Tell me what?”

Ivy turned toward Silas, her eyes widening. There was no mistaking the ice in his tone. “That I kissed her,” Dylan uttered, visibly proud of his statement. “On your wedding day.” Ivy clenched her fist, shutting her eyes to the dread in her stomach.

Chapter 133: Space She Would Get