Chapter 15 Ivy
IVY
Several days pass, and I grow concerned. Then irritated.
Sebastian is pulling away—physically and emotionally.
His answers are shorter. He’s working longer hours. When I touch him, he doesn’t flinch—but he doesn’t respond either. Last night, he fell asleep on the couch. When I woke him, he kissed my cheek and went to his bedroom. Alone.
Of course, I snuck in through his balcony. But when I crawled into his bed, he tensed and rolled, turning his back to me.
I don’t like it. At all.
But I have a plan. Because that’s what I do. I fix things.
I slip through the path in the woods, heading to Sebastian’s. I take my usual route to the deck, swing my legs over the patio, and slip inside.
After checking every room in his house, no one is home.
Odd.
I slip into the garage. Sebastian’s car is gone. He didn’t have anything on his calendar today. This is troubling.
I may need to install cameras to track him.
The cold air sucks the air from my lungs when I open the door. I slip outside, spotting Drew’s car in the driveway.
There he is. Coming from the mailbox. His head is down as he sorts through the mail.
A smile curves my lips. I can’t resist messing with him.
I slip behind the shrub, waiting until he gets close enough, before popping out. “Hi, Drew.”
He screams like Jamie Lee Curtis from Halloween, mail flying in the air.
“Jesus, Ivy.” His chest heaves beneath the hand that now covers his heart. “You scared the piss out of me.”
“I hope you didn’t actually pee yourself.”
He stares at me for several long beats. “No, I didn’t pee myself.” He stoops down to gather the mail, and I do the same, helping him.
“I can take it,” he holds out a hand.
I clutch it to my chest tighter. “Actually, I need to talk to you.”
He groans. “Ivy.”
“It’s just a couple of questions.” I lean closer and, in a conspiratorial whisper, say, “You probably don’t want to talk out here.
” I wave at two of the neighbors on the sidewalk, staring at us like we’re a specimen beneath a microscope.
“Those two are the biggest gossips in this town,” I say to Drew with my smile still pasted on.
He sighs. “Fine. But I plead the fifth about any Sebastian-related questions. Or Sebastian and you questions.”
“That’s fine.” I wave a hand dismissively, not at all concerned. I study behavioral psychology. And Drew is an easy target. I don’t have to ask specific questions to get what I want.
He shuffles from foot to foot before sighing and starting for the door. “Fine. Come in.”
A steaming mug of coffee sits in front of Drew, made by me. He’s much more relaxed and talkative. Of course, the pills I slipped inside may be responsible for that. The same low-dose anti-anxiety medication he’s been prescribed before. I just… expedited it.
It’s a line, technically. But lines are flexible when the alternative is losing Sebastian.
They won’t hurt him. I checked his medical information thoroughly before administering the pills. I like Drew too much to ever do anything malicious to him.
He’s spilling everything like a teenager writing in a diary, telling me way more than I ever wanted to know. Mostly stuff about his ex.
But when he mentions Sebastian’s name, I see an opportunity. “When did you notice a change in Sebastian’s behavior?”
Like a truth serum, Drew spills the info I want.
It’s exactly as I thought—the day after we fooled around.
He goes on, giving me tons of information about Sebastian’s behavior, schedule, and activities.
By the time I leave, I’ve already devised three plans and two backups to get this sorted out.
As I head inside my house, I shake my head. Poor Sebastian is just scared.
I can work with that.
After changing and fixing my hair, I message Thomas, my driver, to tell him I need to go shopping.
Of course, he’s happy to take me to the city.
He waits by the door while I grab my coat. He’s been with my family long enough that we have an unspoken routine.
“Same plan, Miss Ivy?” He asks as he opens the door of the renovated house that my father inherited from his grandfather. It’s familiar, comfortable, and best of all, there’s a back garden that borders the woods. The trail leads directly to Sebastian’s house, which is convenient.
Thomas follows me into the garage.
“Yes, please,” I say, sliding inside the luxury car. “Downtown.”
He nods and gets behind the wheel, then backs out of the garage.
I settle into the seat, relaxing as he makes the drive from the small town to the city.
It’s noisy with the hustle and bustle of people moving around, believing they’re anonymous. Tall buildings, pollution, and honking of horns disturb my peace. I don’t go into the city often. This is why.
But today, it’s part of my plan.
Thomas parks in the lot a few blocks from the shopping district and settles back in the driver’s seat once I step out. He knows I’ll be a while. He doesn’t ask questions or hover. Which is perfect because I need to see Sebastian today.
He’s in a meeting right now, so I have time to spare.
I wander down the street, browsing without urgency. A bookstore. A clothing boutique. I aimlessly wander, killing time, until I get closer to my favorite café, the smell of espresso drawing me inside.
The bell chimes softly overhead when I open the door and step inside. It’s warm, noisy, yet comfortable.
I head to the counter, order a coffee and a pastry, then turn—and collide with a solid wall of human flesh.
“Oh—!” I gasp as my coffee spills onto the floor.
“I’m so sorry,” the man says at the same time.
I look up. He’s tall, with broad shoulders. He smells like soap and coffee grounds—clean in a way that feels deliberate. He’s holding a rag in one hand, indicating he just finished cleaning a table when I ran into him.
Our eyes meet. His warm brown eyes show curiosity, not judgment.
“That was my fault,” he adds quickly, stepping back like he’s worried about crowding me. “I should’ve been paying attention.” He looks genuinely mortified, like bumping into me might haunt him later.
“I wasn’t watching where I was going,” I say, smiling. “So we can share the blame.”
“Thank you,” he says solemnly. “That feels fair. And emotionally mature.”
There’s something disarming about him.
Sebastian would have already apologized once and moved on.
This guy looks like he’s still replaying the moment in his head to make sure I’m okay.
“I’m Aaron,” he says. Gesturing vaguely at the café, he adds, “I, uh—work here. Clearly.”
“Ivy,” I reply. “Nice to meet you.”
He glances at the pastry bag in my hand. “You got the almond croissant.”
“I did.”
“Good choice,” he says, nodding approvingly. “They sell out fast.”
“I know. I’m prepared to do battle for one every time I come here,” I joke. Smiling, I add, “I like living dangerously.”
He snorts before he can stop himself, then looks briefly betrayed by his own reaction. “Well,” he says, stepping aside. “Let me finish cleaning up, and I’ll make sure you’ve got a seat.”
I hesitate. No one ever offers me that without an angle.
But Aaron just… waits.
“Thank you,” I say finally.
I move to a nearby table, and he comes over to wipe it down. I thank him before setting my coffee and croissant on it.
Once he’s finished, I slide into the seat.
“Enjoy your croissant and beverage.” He grins and walks away.
I pull out my phone and scroll through social media while eating. I look immersed, but I’m not.
Aaron’s eyes keep flicking to me as he cleans the tables and floors nearby, like he’s checking to make sure I don’t vanish.
When I finish my coffee, he brings another over and sets it down carefully. “Here you go,” he says. “On the house.”
“That’s unnecessary.”
“I know,” he says easily. “But I want to. It’s my way of apologizing for bumping into you.”
I study him for a second.
Sebastian would never give something away for free.
Aaron looks pleased to do it.
Interesting.
“Well,” I say, wrapping my fingers around the warm cup. “Thank you.”
He nods and turns back to the counter, leaving me alone with my thoughts—and a strange, unfamiliar feeling settling low in my stomach.
Curiosity. And an idea.
I leave the café with a smile I don’t bother hiding.
The air outside feels different—lighter. Charged.
I head toward the familiar building. One that consists of glass, steel, and clean lines. Discreet signage hangs above the door.
I slip inside, moving like I belong there. No one pays me any attention as they go about their jobs. The few who do notice me give me a cursory glance before looking away.
My skin hums when I’m in view of Sebastian’s office door. I’m strategically positioned behind a large potted plant, blocking his view of me.
But I can see him.
He looks tense. Distracted.
I barely resist the urge to bolt inside, sit on his lap, and cuddle him against my chest, soothing him. Just like I did the other night after his nightmare.
But I don’t.
I observe.
Time passes. I watch him do meaningless things, his focus on his work. But I see the cracks in his concentration. The cracks in his carefully crafted facade.
And then, I turn and leave as quietly as I came in.
I head into a boutique nearby and buy a new sweater. If I go back to the car empty-handed, it’ll look suspicious.
A new shop has opened beside it. A male mannequin is positioned behind the glass, wearing a suit and tie.
The bell jingles as I step inside. I smile as I spot a shirt and tie that will look perfect on Sebastian.
I pay, my mood light.
I’ll put it in his closet after I get home.
Thomas is already waiting when I reach the car. He steps out and opens the door for me like he always does, eyes flicking briefly to my bags.
“Successful shopping trip?” he asks mildly. His tone says he’s learned not to ask questions he doesn’t want answered.
A sly smile curls my lips as I slide inside. “You could say that.”
More successful than I could’ve imagined.
The door closes with a soft click, and we pull away from the curb. I settle back into the seat, fingers brushing the paper handles of the bag as the city slips by.
I stare at Sebastian’s office building as we pass.
He thinks he understands attention.
He thinks he knows how this works.
But now I have options.
I’ve always been very good at escalation.
It’s my love language.
I lean back in my seat, already planning the look on his face when he realizes he’s not the only one I’m paying attention to.
We’ll see how much you like sharing.
I grin.
I already know how this ends.